There was a tranquility in Montjuïc: Barcelona already assured the ticket for the round of 16 of the Champions League, and Hansi Flick’s boys were reliable and concentrated, with a very different attitude than when, prisoners of excess confidence in The League, the team was lost in front of Las Palmas (1-2) and Leganés (0-1). Although he did not show his best version, Barça taught his coach in front of the Atalanta, also talent and ambition, not always well managed, from Lamine Yamal.
“I am very happy with the second position. It is a great success. Today we had a difficult game, ”said the Barca coach. Ronald Araujo added: “We wanted first place, but it couldn’t. I am happy for the large group phase we have made. ” The fan was calm, also the coach and the captain. I was not, however, Lamine Yamal.
When the board showed number 19, already in the discount time, Lamine Yamal was replaced by Pau Víctor and left disgusted by a side of the field. “Yes, well, I was disappointed, but it was in the end and I sought to change something,” said the German coach. “It’s normal for him to get angry, he wanted to end the game. He has played very well, ”said Raphinha.
The disgust, in any case, leaned with the justification of Hansi Flick to Lamine Yamal. “The anger has been for the game. We wanted to win, but it couldn’t. We knew that we were leaders, but staying seconds are also fine, ”said the striker. And he added: “Hansi told me to be calm, that I have made a good game.”
Flick stopped the training of Barcelona again and again. In the previous duel against Atalanta, the Barca coach worked how to perform the ball in front of the Italian painting, as well as the duels one against one throughout the field that Gasperini, his counterpart, would propose in Montjuïc. For the exercises, Flick relied on the giant screen that at the beginning of the season had ordered to install in the Tito Vilanova field of the Joan Gamper sports city. “It was a very nice game for the people who looked at him. We have a great team, but you have to be humble and go to match by game, ”said Araujo.
Exercised the exit of the ball and worked the individual challenges, Barcelona seemed condemned to make a difference from some genius of Lamine Yamal. Only the forward of the striker threatened to break the entertaining equality between Barça and the Atalanta. “In the first part, I think we did well. But in the second we wanted to do things differently. It was good to see how the team got it, ”Flick explained. It was after the German talk in the locker room when Barcelona showed its best face in attack, in short, the best face of Lamine Yamal: a goal and 10 (13) wins won. In addition, he recovered five balls.
“Barça is always favorite, it is for me the best club in Europe. I am happy for second place. We have to move on, ”said Lamine Yamal. And Hansi Flick closed: “It is good to finish second in the first phase, it is a great success for the team and for the club.”