The real reason why Hansi Flick looked “close to crying” on the Barcelona bench after leading his side to a 3-1 victory over Alaves has finally emerged. Considered one of the best managers in world football right now, the German guided the Catalan giants back to the top of the La Liga table at the weekend.
This came on the heels of a domestic treble last season, which makes it all the more surprising that Flick appeared so dejected following a win of such significance. Raphinha was seen consoling him, and the video quickly circulated online. Watch the incident below:
While initial reports suggested his demeanour stemmed from growing tired of the job, with Raphinha supposedly reminding him that his team will improve after being outclassed by Chelsea in a 3-0 midweek Champions League defeat, a fresh report now points to a completely different set of events behind his visible misery.
The Real Reason Hansi Flick Looked Dejected After Alaves Win
hansi flick
According to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, Flick's viral reaction after the full-time whistle was due to him being frustrated by the red cards to goalkeeper coach Jose Ramon de la Fuente and his assistant Macrus Sorg, with the latter taking place in the 90th minute.
The German coach feels there’s very little dialogue with referees here in Spain. In his homeland, he said, officials were much more willing to talk. Fourth official, Alvaro Canovas Garcia-Villarrubia, was reportedly the main suspect in the Barcelona's boss' glum look.
The initial source of Flick’s anger, however, was the uncalled penalty on Lamine Yamal in the first half. Barca’s No. 10 was brought down by Parada inside the box, but referee Miguel Angel Ortiz Arias allowed play to continue. The boss was upset because he believes Lamine lacks any malicious intent and that his side do not receive the same calls as other teams.
Barcelona is in Safe Hands with Hansi Flick
FC Barcelona's Lamine Yamal waits to take a penalty kick with Raphinha
A manager that finds the negatives when his team are top of the league is one that will continue to push them to higher ground. This, coupled by the fact he clearly has the backing of his dressing room given the nature of his conversation with Raphinha, proves Barcelona is in safe hands with Flick at the helm.
The defeat to Chelsea is their only real slip-up of the season so far, and while they are not being talked about in the same breath as the likes of Arsenal and Bayern Munich, they have the star quality to go far again in every competition like they did last term. A domestic treble was impressive, but sights for 2026 will be firmly set on an even more successful Champions League campaign after being knocked out in the semi-finals earlier this year by Inter Milan.