Flick: Raphinha is an important leader for Barcelona, and this is our goal

Hans Flick, the head coach of FC Barcelona, has talked about his team's preparations for the upcoming match against Atlético on Sunday at the Metropolitano Stadium, as part of LaLiga. He also addressed Rodri's injury and the status of several players ahead of the encounter.

Regarding the readiness of Eric Garcia and Christensen, Flick said: "Eric can start the match, and both players will be on the team list for tomorrow's game. I believe Eric is capable of starting, but we will see."

Regarding the possibility of Frenkie de Jong starting, he clarified: "I have not yet decided whether he will start the match, it's good to think about it overnight, we know his capabilities, but we also know Marc Bernal's abilities, he performed very well in the last match, and I am impressed with what he is delivering."

Regarding Rodri's injury: "You can always do things better, but I spoke in this case with the player, and we managed the number of minutes he played. He is an experienced player, and we talked and agreed on these matters. I can't do more; when you see the results, you think that you could have acted differently, but that is in the past."

Regarding Julián Alvarez, the Atlético Madrid striker, Flick simply stated: "Julián is a great player, but he plays for Atlético, and I have to focus on my team."

He continued: "Marc Bernal has performed very well, and he knows the area where he needs to be. I am very happy with what he is delivering, and I am also pleased with Frenkie de Jong's return. We need to choose the right starting lineup, and we still have time to make the decision."

Barcelona's coach touched on the competition between Frenkie de Jong and Marc Bernal, explaining: "Frenkie can play in multiple positions, not just as a defensive midfielder. There are similarities between them, but Frenkie has more experience, while both possess confidence and conviction when dealing with the ball."

Regarding Raphinha's contract renewal, he said: "There are not enough words to describe Raphinha, this is the best situation for the club and for Raphinha, I am grateful for his contract renewal, he is a great player, our team captain, and he is very important to our club."

He added about the difficulty of the match: "Every match is important, in LaLiga, there are three or four excellent teams close in the standings. It is important to win at the Metropolitano; that is our goal, and we will do everything we can to achieve victory. There is still a long way to go until the end of the season, and we will go there to win, but Atlético is a great team led by a special coach. It will be a tough match and will require a lot of effort."

He continued: "The previous encounters are in the past, and they do not matter to me; what matters is what will happen tomorrow. We are facing a great team, and we want to win to top LaLiga during the international break. We have worked hard, and we want to show our strengths."

Speaking about Gordon, Flick said: "He gives us a lot of opportunities with the ball, he maintains possession and doesn't make mistakes. I think he can be more focused on himself in the final attacking third. He has performed brilliantly in the last few matches and has raised his level. I am happy with what he is providing."

Regarding Jules Koundé, Flick explained: "We were hoping he would recover faster, but we have to be patient, we need to monitor his progress, we hope he will be available after the international break."

Regarding Farinhas: "He has never played as a right-back, but he is a fantastic player physically and technically. Thanks to the La Masia academy for their training style and the high morale he possesses. He plays alongside Lamine, who is performing exceptionally well. Lamine has the qualities needed to participate in this match, and he delivered a great performance against Aston Villa. He could be involved on Saturday."