Barcelona manager Hansi Flick emphasized the need for his team to perform at their best to overcome Newcastle United in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday night.
In the first leg, Barcelona secured a draw with a last-minute penalty after facing challenges against Newcastle’s physical play at St. James’ Park.
Harvey Barnes scored late in the match, putting Newcastle close to their first win against Barcelona in nearly two decades.
However, Lamine Yamal managed to equalize with a penalty kick after Malick Thiaw fouled Dani Olmo in the box as the match ended.
Hansi Flick: Barcelona must play a ‘perfect game’ to beat Newcastle
“It will be a tough game tomorrow,” said Flick at his pre-match press conference. “They have very fast players, and we must aim to deliver our perfect performance. This is crucial for us.”
When asked about Barcelona’s chances to win this season’s Champions League, he replied: “We understand how quickly situations can change, but we remain optimistic as we have great quality in our squad and believe we can achieve victory in this tournament.”
“However, improvement is necessary; players must be fit, and everyone needs to deliver their best performance in the coming weeks.”
Yamal was largely ineffective in the previous match, and Flick acknowledges that they will rely on the young player to perform well to advance to the quarter-finals.
“Lamine is a player who can make a significant impact, and his recent training sessions have been outstanding,” the coach stated. “The Champions League is one of the premier competitions globally, providing extra motivation for every player involved.”
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