Hansi Flick talks Lewandowski, Pedri, VAR, Kounde after 1-0 Barcelona win over Rayo Vallecano | OneFootball

FC Barcelona regained their position at the top of the La Liga table after a hard-fought win against Rayo Vallecano at the Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium last night. The Blaugranes came out 1-0 winners in this game, with Robert Lewandowski’s converted penalty being the only difference between the two sides.

With this win, the Catalan side has the same number of points as Real Madrid, i.e., 51, but stand ahead of them because of a better head-to-head record against them and also because of their better goal difference.

Hansi Flick was naturally happy to see his side getting back into the leadership position in La Liga, and as SPORT has reported, he expressed this happiness as he talked to the media after the game and in the press conference he undertook after the match.

The German tactician credited the team for its hard work, which allowed them to get the three points from this match:

“It has been hard work for the players, and in the end, we are happy… Everyone is pleased with the new situation. I think we played very well, although I believe we can do even better.”

Still, Flick believed that the job was not yet done, and the Blaugranes will have to continue winning to maintain their superior position in the league:

“Today, we confirmed what I had already said—we are a team. We missed some chances, but the result is good. We have to be happy; winning this was not easy… There is still a long road ahead, and everyone deserves this. It’s important to fight until the end, and we must keep doing so. Being leaders doesn’t change anything—we want to take it step by step.”

The Barcelona coach also highlighted how difficult it was to get a win against a Rayo Vallecano side that came into this game in great form:

“They had gone nine games without losing, and I think today was a great success for us. Being back in first place—we’re back.”

Last night’s match had its fair share of controversy as Rayo saw one of their goals ruled out for offside, saw another penalty appeal turned down, and themselves went down with a penalty given in the Blaugranes’ favor. However, Flick was not too keen to comment on these controversies:

“I didn’t see the situation, but I believe we have VAR, and I trust in VAR.”

Hansi Flick also praised the work done by the physical training team and the physiotherapists for their good work with the players:

“The physical aspect is Julio and his team’s responsibility—they do an excellent job. It’s not just the trainers but also the physiotherapists. It was Deco and the club’s work to bring in these professionals.”

“It’s not just Pedri who is in great shape, but it’s true that he had a fantastic game—he’s an extraordinary player… We’re approaching the final stretch of the season, and it’s crucial that everyone is at their peak level.”

One of the highlights from the last night was the way Robert Lewandowski reacted to his substitution in the 81st minute. However, the Barcelona coach was quite clear that this was normal:

“It’s normal—he always wants to score goals. The decision is mine, and this is what I decided today. I make decisions based on the team, not individual players. I’m very happy with his performance, but it’s up to me. They have to accept it.”

One of the more surprising decisions taken by the Barcelona head coach for the starting lineup was the replacement of Jules Kounde for Hector Fort. However, when asked about this decision, the German did not reveal much:

“It’s part of football, it’s something that happens, and we leave it at that.”

The German tactician also addressed this issue in the press conference after the game, and was more open about the situation in the press room:

“Before the match, we have two or three meetings, and it’s very important for the players to be there. It’s not difficult to be on time—it’s about respecting your teammates. Koundé was late, and it’s a clear rule of the club. It shouldn’t happen, but it did today.”

Some reports claim that the Frenchman was taken out of the starting lineup because he was once again late for the team’s technical talks.

Thus, it remains to be seen whether he will return to the lineup, as happened when he was penalized earlier in the season, or will remain on the bench, as happened with Inaki Pena after he was late to a training session in the Spanish Super Cup.