Flick Emphasises Need for Early Focus to Prevent Another Defeat Against Atletico Madrid

Barcelona must heed the lessons learned from their previous encounters with Atletico Madrid if they hope to secure a victory over them for the first time this season. However, manager Hansi Flick emphasised on Saturday that the outcome will not necessarily determine the trajectory of the LaLiga title race.

Barcelona and Real Madrid are currently locked on 57 points at the summit of LaLiga, while Atletico trails closely in third, just one point behind. Should Real Madrid triumph over Villarreal on Saturday, they could gain the upper hand, although Barcelona holds a game in hand.

Flick’s team suffered a 2-1 defeat at home to Atletico and were held to a dramatic 4-4 draw in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-finals, where Atletico’s Alexander Sorloth scored a last-gasp winner in the initial match and a late equaliser in the rematch.

“I believe we played two excellent matches. Our focus must be maintained from the start to the finish of the game,” Flick stated to reporters ahead of Sunday’s showdown.

“In the first encounter, we lost focus towards the end. In the second match, we were unfocused right from the beginning and at the end.

“We need to rectify that. If you make errors against Atletico, they can capitalise. That’s what we need to guard against.”

When asked whether the match could influence the title race, Flick replied, “There’s still a long way to go in the league; it’s just one match. A win would be a significant boost for our confidence and belief.”

“I’ve always maintained that LaLiga teams know how to play football; it’s never easy to secure victories against such strong competitors.”

Atletico experienced heartache in the Champions League last 16 on Wednesday, suffering yet another penalty shootout defeat against their rivals Real Madrid.

However, Flick dismissed any concerns about Diego Simeone’s squad entering Sunday’s match fatigued, having recently played extra time and gone through penalties.

“In my opinion, they possess a fantastic squad. It’s not merely about 11-14 players; they have a depth of quality that isn’t a concern,” he asserted.

“They are in good shape, and their team includes many experienced players. I don’t believe this will affect them.”

Julian Alvarez found himself at the centre of a refereeing controversy when his penalty was disallowed due to a slip resulting in him touching the ball twice, and Flick remarked that the Argentine was unfortunate.

“It was an unfortunate situation; I genuinely sympathise with him,” Flick expressed regarding Alvarez, who has scored 22 goals for Atletico across all competitions this season.

“He’s a remarkable player, among the top strikers, but these things happen.”

Check out the preview of the Atletico Madrid vs Barcelona match here.