Hans Flick, Barcelona's coach, held a press conference ahead of the Atletico Madrid match in the 19th round of La Liga at Spotify Camp Nou, and spoke about the team's level, preparations, and updates on the players.

Flick spoke about the team's improvement this season: "It is always important to be a leader, but this season we have seen many injuries. We never use excuses, but we need more minutes with the starting lineup, because last season was a perfect example. We had Pedri, De Jong, and the defenders were always the same, but this year we couldn't achieve that continuity. I don't consider these excuses, we are managing the situation currently, and our goal now is to win a big match like tomorrow's."

He continued about preparing for the Atletico match: "We have to play at the highest level against a big team. Atletico is one of the best teams in Europe, they have great quality and improved with the summer transfer market. I enjoyed watching them play; they are excellent offensively. But we also have quality, and it is our job to show it."

Flick added regarding Juan Garcia and his abilities: "Juan has a great future. From day one, he has shown his abilities and proven them in matches. He has great quality in hand and foot saves and is very fast. It was the right decision by the club, and he will be useful for us in the coming years and provides great security."

He commented on Real Madrid's draw with Girona: "I did not watch the match; they sent me messages and I learned that something happened. I focused only on my team."

Touching on the pressure of competing for the top spot, he said: "We have the same pressures as last season. We said this year would be harder because everyone wants to win. We are at the top, but we are not yet at our best level, and we have to regain it."

He clarified the condition of Ter Stegen: "It is not the right time to talk about this. He cannot play now, and we have to wait and take the next steps."

He spoke about the fans' interaction, saying: "The situation is as it is, and I am very happy with the fans. I don't say that I miss anything negative. What happens from the pitch to the stands is natural."

Flick confirmed regarding players Rafinha and Araujo: "Rafinha is ready, but Araujo is still not ready. We have taken care of Rafinha, who has only done light training, and I trust that he can play the entire match. Ronald is not ready yet; this is a special case and I do not want to talk more. I ask for respect for his privacy. That is all I can say."

He spoke about Pedri's readiness: "Yes, he can be in the starting lineup."

Flick added about his talk with Rafinha: "It was a good time to win against one of the big teams. That match's image was strange to me. I spoke with the players and told them to stay calm. After scoring the third goal and the sending off of Marcos Llorente, I spoke with my friend who is one of the most important people for me here, and I preferred to get some fresh air rather than engage in a discussion. I am fine and strong to face what awaits us this season. These matches require great energy and results can turn around. After the match, I relax and prepare for the next one. The team is working well and we have great potential."

He continued about controlling the match: "We lack more control. We have the quality and want to show it. We made many mistakes in recent matches, even though we have the quality to dominate the game."

Finally, regarding the evaluation of the top spot: "We will play against a great team with one of their best coaches. We must raise our level. It will be a difficult match, and we all have to work hard. If you look at the standings, there are good teams ready, and we are recovering and regaining players, so we have to raise our level."