Hansi Flick, Barcelona's coach, spoke after the resounding 5-0 victory over Elche in the Spanish La Liga during the 2026/27 season, on Sunday evening.
Flick stated in remarks published by "Barca Universal": "In the first half, we needed to control the ball more, and that is what I expect from the team."
He added: "We kept a clean sheet and scored five goals; I am impressed with how they played football."
When asked about Gavi's injury, Flick said: "Yes, it's a knee injury; we must wait. The situation is slightly better than expected at the moment of injury, as his condition improved significantly after the match. We will conduct an MRI scan and see."
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Flick clarified details of his conversation with Alejandro Balde: "No, I did not ask him to leave. I felt something was off this morning, so I spoke to him and told him it would be better for him to clear his mind and organize his thoughts. We agreed to talk again tomorrow. He accepted because there are many things on his mind, which is why he is not here."
Flick continued: "I see a high level of quality in training sessions; this is the performance we aspire to achieve daily. For me, the importance of training lies in it being the space that allows us to develop, which positively reflects on our match performances. This is exactly what I want from my team. It is crucial now that we play as one unit, sharing responsibilities in both defense and attack."
Regarding signing a number 9 striker, Flick added: "We will discuss the number 9 after this match. I have spoken with Deco, and we are very happy with this victory, but we will see what happens during the week."
Flick praised La Masia academy stars who participated with Barcelona: "It is wonderful to see Xavi Espart and other La Masia players performing at this level. It doesn't matter where he plays; he knows what to do with the ball."