German coach Hans Flick held his press conference ahead of Barcelona's upcoming match against Alavés at Spotify Camp Nou, following the team's recent loss to Chelsea in the Champions League.

Flick said that team captain Ronald Araujo is suffering from stomach problems and added that he will not participate in training over the next two days. He continued that the defeat against Chelsea affected the team, but he is confident in an improved performance against Alavés, noting that Pedri will return to play but will not be in the starting lineup.

Regarding Lamine Yamal, Flick said: "He seems fine and feels comfortable. Many players are unhappy when changes are made to them, and I was also a player and did not always behave correctly. Cucurella is one of the best left-backs in the world and very smart, but Lamine must show his best levels after the Chelsea match."

He continued speaking about Raphinha: "I missed him; he is one of the most focused players on the team and fits well with our playing style. He has a positive impact on how we play and has the desire to prove his abilities after a great season last year. I hope he shows his best."

On leadership, he said: "Our goal is to get the three points, and the rest will come later."

He addressed a message to the team, saying: "I see good dynamics, high intensity, and greater confidence with and without the ball, and we must show that."

Regarding Danish defender Andreas Christensen, he said: "We will see if he will have a role; I don't like talking about the starting lineup. We will see; he might be an option."

On the winter transfer market, he confirmed: "We are focused on what we have and on the next match. There are more than three weeks left, many upcoming matches, and all my energy is directed towards that."

About Pedri, the German coach said: "He will play some minutes in the second half but will not be in the starting lineup."

He continued: "When we lose, especially after conceding three goals, it is easy to say the performance was not good. This is not the Barcelona we want, but we must clarify that some do not understand what we need for high pressing. It is not only about defense but also the midfield and attack. Every player must press. I said I am optimistic because we have done good things, but we need to improve, especially in attack. I want to see what I see in training and tell the players what I see. We are in a good moment, and the feeling is positive. We will work on that after the defeat."

Regarding the midfield, he added: "I think Eric can play in different positions, and we also wanted to try Andreas there. It is useful to have tall players for technical situations. We trust Casado and Marc Bernal after his injury, and they will get minutes. Casado will have opportunities, and we trust him."

About Fermín López: "This is football, and sometimes it is linked to new shoes. Now every month there is a new color. The Athletic player was not affected, but he felt discomfort after the Chelsea match, and there are no other explanations."

Regarding Ronald Araujo, Flick confirmed: "He is suffering from an infectious virus and will miss today and tomorrow. His morale is low; we all feel sad after the defeat against Chelsea. We hoped to win, and we must be optimistic for the next match."

He concluded by saying: "The goal is always to score goals. Alavés defends well and passionately. It will be difficult to score, but we will try. The most important thing is to get the three points."