Flick: Defeats are part of football, and this is what we missed against Real Madrid

Hans Flick, the manager of FC Barcelona, spoke about his team's loss to Real Madrid by a score of 2-1 in El Clásico, expressing his disappointment due to the players' physical decline, especially during the first half, and emphasizing the need to regain energy before the next match.

Flick said: "I am not satisfied; it appeared today that we are not 100% recovered, as we would usually be more lively. We performed well in the second half, and Real Madrid had only two chances to score the second goal. We controlled the match and equalized at 1-1, and in the end, we pressed, but they launched a counter-attack from which they scored. This is not good for us, but we have to accept it; defeats are also part of football."

The German coach added: "This is our first defeat in ten matches in LaLiga. We are not playing at our best levels, and this is related to how refreshed we are. We have enough time to prepare for the next match and to get ready for it, and we need to regain energy within the team."

Flick said: "I feel disappointed. After the 1-1 draw, we dominated the match and had chances to score a second goal, but we lacked some luck, and we have to accept that. We made mistakes, they scored goals, and we need to think about what we can improve."

Barcelona manager expressed his happiness at the return of Frenkie de Jong, who played his first minutes of the season, noting that the team needs to regain its vitality after a tough week that saw a loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League, followed by a defeat to Real Madrid in LaLiga.

Flick said: "We know that last week was not ideal, as we lost in Paris and suffered our first defeat in the league, but we are still at the top of the competition. We need to regain our energy, as we were not in a good enough state during the first half."

The German coach confirmed the players need to step away from the competitive atmosphere after a busy week, stating that they require some time to disconnect from everything before preparing for the match against Alavés at Spotify Camp Nou.

Flick spoke about the impact of the two consecutive defeats on the team: "I don't think this defeat will raise doubts within the team; everyone knows the situation. We didn't play very well today, but the details are what decide big matches, and today luck was not on our side."

He added: "It's two losses, and that's a big number for me and all the FC Barcelona fans, especially since one of them came in the clásico, we don't want to lose."

Flick spoke about the strength of Real Madrid, saying: "We faced an opponent with great quality, and they performed very well without the ball."

Regarding the impact of travel on player readiness, he explained: "Spending three hours on a plane to Seville, then returning to the hotel, and after that traveling to Paris, is extremely exhausting, but I don't want to talk about this when we lose; it's better to discuss it when we win. I don't make excuses."

Barcelona's coach revealed the plan to manage fatigue, saying: "The players will have two days of rest after training tomorrow. I want everyone to be in good physical condition and to make the right decisions regarding nutrition, sleep, and recovery."

He added: "We have three matches before the international break, I want to win all the matches and collect all the trophies."

Regarding the defensive options crisis, Flick said: "In the last defensive line, consisting of four players, we no longer have options, and we have to manage the situation. We have players in the La Masia academy, and we may have to call some of them up. Perhaps Andreas Christensen, Koundé, and Eric García will be available next week, but we will see how their condition develops."

Flick concluded his remarks by explaining the reason for deploying De Jong in the playmaker position, stating: "We talked about it, and in the end, we decided that De Jong, who was in good rhythm, could provide us with strength, which is why he played in the playmaker position. It was important for him to get minutes today."