Flick: I fully trust Barcelona players, and we have solutions to deal with defensive crisis

Hans Flick, the head coach of Barcelona, discussed several issues concerning the team, beginning with the upcoming transfer market, moving on to Lamine Yamal's reaction after not winning the Ballon d'Or, and concluding with the loss against Real Madrid and Raphinha's situation with the Brazil national team.

In his statements during the press conference, Flick addressed the possibility of strengthening the team during the upcoming transfer window, saying: "I talked about this during the transfer market, we are always discussing what is best for the team and how we can develop it, and this is what we are currently working on. We will see what happens, as we still have a few weeks before the transfer market opens. I have discussed the matter with Deco, Bojan, and members of my coaching staff, as this is how we operate, and if the opportunity arises, we might do it."

Regarding Harry Kane's victory in the Ballon d'Or and Lamine Yamal's situation after not receiving it, Flick said: "Kane deserved to win it, you know my opinion on Lamine, he has the level to win this award. What I saw, and what I told him and the team, is that what he stated about Koubarsi was wonderful; Pau deserved it after having an exceptional season and a great World Cup, while Lamine won the award in the past two years."

He added: "I am very proud of Lamine, as his reaction has been very good from my perspective, and during training, he was focused. This is how the academy boys deal with such situations; his mentality is very good for the team. We have accepted it, and I am happy it is over, so we can now focus on the important matters."

Regarding what Barcelona needs to improve after the defeat in the Clasico, the German coach clarified: "As I have always said, there is still a long way to go until the end of the season, when you can win titles. Nothing bad has happened; we lost to Real Madrid, and no one was happy about that, but in the end, we have to deal with it."

He continued: "We could have won the match, as we had great chances. We must accept the defeat and learn from it. We have many absences, such as Jules Koundé, Xavi Espart, Dani Olmo, Eric Garcia, and Christensen, along with several defenders. It's not easy, and we need to find solutions. We tried to give our best, and for tomorrow's match, it's clear that the most important thing is to collect the three points."

Flick discussed Raphinha's call-up to the Brazil national team, confirming he spoke about it with Deco, saying: "Raphinha is a very important player. Before the last international break, he returned injured, and that wasn't the best situation, but things happen this way, and there's nothing we can do."

He added: "I know that Raphinha is a leader here, but he is also Brazilian, and when his national team calls him up, he is present. After the World Cup, there will be a new situation, as everyone wants to be there to help the national team."

He continued: "I will be happy if we can control a little the number of minutes he participates; traveling to Singapore and back is not ideal, but that is not something I own or can change."

Flick was keen to send a message of condolence to the victims of the train accident and their families, saying: "I would like to express our condolences to all those affected by this tragedy, our hearts are with the families going through these difficult moments, and we send them our support and love."

Flick discussed the possibility of using De Jong in the center-back position, alongside Balde, explaining: "I said we need to manage the issue of the players who will participate in the center-back position. We now have Gerard and Koubassi, and this is a tough period for them. It is important to find solutions; Frenkie can play in different positions, and he can participate in center-back."

Xavi Espart commented on Balde: "He does not have the confidence he needs to play, nor the conviction necessary to attack and press high. The full-backs are very important for us in our style of play, and he needs confidence to reach his best levels."

Regarding De Jong, he said: "I speak from my perspective, I am completely convinced of him. When he is at 100% fitness, he is an amazing player, possessing great quality, good behavior, and a remarkable defensive mentality. He is a fantastic player and elevates the level of our team."

Flick spoke about the possibility of Varinas participating, saying: "Varinas is one of the options to play in the full-back position, he is very smart, has been training with us from the beginning, and has done a great job, it is time he deserves to participate."

Regarding the aspects that Barcelona needs to develop, Flick stressed the importance of controlling matches and reducing ball loss, saying: "We need to control the matches, have more possession of the ball, and minimize losing it, as this is the key. We must determine how to move the ball and the opponent. It is good not to lose the ball so we don't have to chase after it. We need to improve this aspect by making fewer mistakes, and we must remain calm and play with more control."

He added regarding the defensive aspect: "Defense is not just the responsibility of the defenders; everyone is involved in it. First, we must not lose easy balls as we did against Real Madrid, as this is not good and does not reflect the quality we usually have. I already said that we might not have been at our best physically."

Kane stated: "We need to play with more focus, and when it's time to defend inside the penalty area, it's important to keep an eye on the opponent. We weren't quite good in this aspect, and we need to improve. We train on that and talk to the players, and we have to handle it well."