FC Barcelona will take on Benfica in the Champions League.
FC Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick fielded questions on how his players are dealing with the death
FC Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick fielded questions on how his players are dealing with the death of the first team's doctor Carles Minarro Garcia, who passed away on Saturday, ahead of a Champions League last 16 second leg clash against Benfica.
The Catalans were set to host Osasuna in Montjuic on Saturday for a La Liga meeting.
Less than 20 minutes before kick off, however, the match was postponed and the club announced Minarro Garcia’s passing via a statement.
Barca did not send one of its players out to hold a press conference before Flick on Monday, as is common ahead of Champions League fixtures.
Instead, Flick fielded questions on the matter himself, and first said that he thought “the team is managing the situation well" while "focused on this match”.
“The president and I have spoken with the locker room. It is a great loss, Carles was a great person and a great doctor,” the German added, later saying that Minarro “was a key piece of the team” and that the players “want to play for him”.
Despite the tragedy that occurred, Flick sees his team as “very focused”.
“We talked about it this morning. Nobody thinks that the tie is resolved,” he explained, with Barca leading just 1-0 following a win of this margin in Lisbon last week.
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Flick says that his players “are clear about the way we want to play” and “we also know how to play against them”.
“I don’t think there will be any surprises,” he predicted.
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With Robert Lewandowski tipped to be rested on Saturday for the Osasuna game that was postponed, Flick confirmed that his striker “will be able to play” and is in “top form”.
Amid Osasuna coach Vicente Moreno calling the Brazilian “one of the best players in the world if not the best", Flick also stated that Raphinha “can be a candidate for the Ballon d'Or”.
“He helps us a lot with his dynamism and he is very hungry for goals in important moments,” Flick concluded.