FC Barcelona and Real Madrid are set to lock horns on the pitch for the first time this season this Sunday, when the Spotify Camp Nou will witness the next El Clasico. Needless to say, both these teams will be looking to win this game, and not only for the three points on stake.
As [Mundo Deportivo](https://www.mundodeportivo.com/futbol/fc-barcelona/20261024/1004241693/rueda-prensa-flick-directo-previa-ultima-hora-barcelona-real-madrid.html) has reported, Hansi Flick addressed his customary press conference ahead of this match and talked about several aspects related to both the teams and the upcoming game.
Despite the loss to PSG in their last game, the German coach was quite confident ahead of Sunday’s game:
**“El Clásico is different; it’s the best match our sport has to offer. Everyone will be watching. It’s incredible. You can only win three points, but it means much more than that. It’s fantastic to be part of it, and we’re really looking forward to the match. We’re ready and confident in the team.”**
While assuring that his team will be confident, Flick also recognized his opponents’ quality:
**“I expect a team full of confidence. Real Madrid are a great club with great players and a great manager. They also have players with tremendous quality in the final third, as they’ve shown in recent matches. We need to be careful and be prepared.”**
Despite the Merengues’ complaints, the Barcelona coach put his trust in the referees:
**“I have confidence in the referees. We’re all part of the game. It’s important that we protect one another. That’s how I see it, and I don’t want to talk about these matters.”**
Flick assured that his team has learned from the defeat against PSG:
**“We’ve spoken to the players and analysed the game. We did many things well, but there are situations we need to improve. It’s a good opportunity to grow and challenge ourselves as a team.”**
The German coach had only good things to say about his Real Madrid counterpart, Jose Mourinho:
**“I have great respect for him. When you’ve been managing for so many years and achieved so much success, it’s a testament to your talent. When I was Löw’s assistant, I met him in Madrid. Every player who has played under him speaks of him with great respect. He’s a fellow professional who has enjoyed tremendous success.”**
Flick confirmed that Jules Kounde would be unavailable for Sunday’s game:
**“Koundé is unavailable. We don’t want to take any risks. It’s not the best situation, but we have to accept it. Dani was in great form and fully fit. He’s been unlucky with the way the injury happened. He’s unhappy because he’ll miss several matches. We have Fermín and Olmo in that position, but we’ll miss him.”**
The Barcelona coach was wary of the threat the Merengues will pose from set-pieces:
**“Real Madrid are one of the best teams at set pieces. They’re physically very strong. We’ve discussed it and worked on it in training. We need to defend better. I hope we can demonstrate that tomorrow.”**
The German tactician was happy with [having Rodri Hernandez in his team](https://barcanewsnetwork.com/barcelona-star-rodri-hernandez-opens-up-on-real-madrid-transfer-saga-ahead-of-el-clasico/):
**“We always look at ourselves and the impact he has on Barça. When the opportunity to sign him arose, we were all convinced he would make us better. He was a key piece in taking the next step. We’ve seen that in the first few matches. I’m very happy he’s here. With Pedri alongside him, there’s tremendous quality in midfield. We’re all delighted with him.”**
Flick was also full of praise for Xavi Espart:
**“We know what professional football is like, and everything comes down to performance. He did very well. It’s incredible. He has room to improve and a lot of potential. For now, he’s doing very well.”**
The Barcelona coach had a clear idea on how to contain Kylian Mbappe and other Real Madrid forwards:
**“For us, what matters is our positioning, both on and off the ball. We need to maintain good distances between the lines and stay compact. That’s important when you play with a high defensive line. Cubarsí and Gerard are having a great season, and they complement each other well. They’re growing together.”**
Meanwhile, the German coach refrained from commenting on issues surrounding the Merengue side and the referees:
**“I prefer to focus on the match, and the other things don’t concern me. I don’t want to make headlines; I want to focus on my team.”**
There is no doubt that this El Clasico, which is coming right off the loss to PSG, will be a significant test for Hansi Flick and his Barcelona team. Hopefully, he will be able to keep up his team’s form in La Liga and get another win in this match.