Hansi Flick talks, Olmo, Gavi, Ferran after Barcelona 3-0 Osasuna | OneFootball

FC Barcelona returned to action in La Liga after the March international break last night with a match against Osasuna and emerged as 3-0 winners in this game despite not being able to count on some of their important players.

There were significant concerns at the Blaugrana club at the selection of March 27 as the date for this game, especially as it came too soon after the end of the international break.

In fact, these concerns were justified, as one of the players in the Catalan team, Dani Olmo, had to leave the pitch with an injury.

This injury and the controversial selection of the date soured the taste of the victory for Hansi Flick on what would have been a joyful result otherwise.

As SPORT has reported, the German coach expressed his disappointment right after the game as he addressed the press and the media:

“I’m very proud of my players. The situation was not easy at all. It wasn’t the best date to play, but now we have three more points. We paid the price for playing today with Olmo’s injury. I leave with a bitter taste. We don’t know how long he’ll be out, but with the way the schedule is, two weeks would be a long time, which is not good at all.”

The German coach also voiced his disagreement with the high number of matches played in a year, especially as it affects players’ well-being:

“I think we need to listen to the players and coaches. The Club World Cup is played in the summer, and it will be very tough. I don’t think it’s a good thing. You can earn a lot of money, but for them, it’s exhausting—we should slow down a bit for the players’ well-being.”

“Fans want players to give 100% and put on a show. When things like this happen, we don’t reach the level we could. And I’m not the only one who thinks this.”

On the other hand, the Barcelona coach also expressed his happiness with the win and its implications for the league table:

“We are doing very well. Three points ahead, with a very high goal difference, but there are still 10 games left to play. We are in great form.”

Flick praised Gavi for his persistence despite the ups and downs of the season:

“For Gavi, the armband means a lot. He played a great game today. I’m very proud of him—he hasn’t had it easy. After his injury, he played, but lately, he had been on the bench more. Still, he is always very focused on what he needs to do.”

The Blaugrana coach highlighted how all the players are keen to play their part for the team:

“You can see that they enjoy playing. It’s important for them—they give everything in training. It’s also crucial that players with fewer minutes got to play today, and they did very well. For example, Ferran started as a starter. I spoke with him in the morning, and during the match, we saw everything we talked about. Everyone is very engaged.”

Hopefully, Olmo’s injury will not be too serious. However, as Flick stated, even a few weeks on the sidelines can end up costing Barcelona because of the hectic schedule ahead.

Meanwhile, this injury should also give reason to Flick to manage his squad better in the coming weeks to ensure all his players continue to perform at their best levels.