Flick: Yamal deserves the Ballon d'Or, and we can always improve

German coach Hans Flick of FC Barcelona expressed his happiness with the level his team showed during their victory over Feyenoord in the opening of their UEFA Champions League campaign, while also confirming that the team still has room for improvement.

Flick said: "There is a good atmosphere in the team, and I am happy for Raphinha and Lamine Yamal. Also, Lamine, as a captain, has benefited a lot from this goal."

Regarding Lamine Yamal's worthiness for the Ballon d'Or, the German coach said: "Of course, he is my player, he is a special and wonderful player, he deserves it, yes."

Flick spoke about Raphinha, describing his match as wonderful, saying: "They should have been on this list, but that's something we can't change."

The manager of FC Barcelona explained the reasons for his team's current level, stating: "We are working very well and with great seriousness, and we have great quality when the ball is at our feet."

He added: "We can improve, and we have to do that, this is what we need to do, continue to work intensely and with quality in training, now we need to see what we need to improve."

Regarding the quality of FC Barcelona's squad, he said: "There is a lot of quality in the squad, and in every position, there is a lot of quality. We make changes and the team continues to apply the same idea that we want."

He continued: "I love what I see, but there are things that need to be improved, and that is what we are doing in training, we analyze things to try to become better, I am very happy, but there is always room for improvement."

Flick highlighted his team's ability to handle various match situations, stating: "We can make changes in every situation, we have many different approaches with different players, when we need to switch, and when we need to control, and we also scored from a direct free kick, which was great."

Regarding the difference between FC Barcelona's win and Real Madrid's victory the previous day, Flick limited his comments to his own team, saying: "I am very happy that I can only talk about our enjoyment, because I am the coach of FC Barcelona and I am happy to be here. In our first five matches, we have scored a lot of goals, and we play as a team and control the game. This is the style we want, and I believe the fans enjoy it."

Flick confirmed that the season is still in its early stages, saying: "We are at the beginning of the season, and I know, and you know, that the road is still long until May, but it is true that things look very good because we are training very hard and everyone has the desire."

The German coach praised the ball recovery against Feyenoord, stating: "I also liked how we regained the ball, even though it cost us a bit, because Feyenoord is a very good team, and in the UEFA Champions League the level is extremely high."

Regarding the adaptation of new players, Flick praised his coaching staff, noting that there are many good players, and everyone wants to play, which is something that needs to be managed. The first thing that should always be focused on is the team.

Flick explained that the encounter with Valencia was an important point in their preparations, stating: "After the match against Valencia, that was the best training session of the season, and that is what I want to see."

Flick expressed his happiness at Barcelona, stating: "It's more than just a dream for me." He also refused to compare the current Barcelona squad with that of his former team Bayern Munich.