Before the Atletico clashes... Flick makes strong statements and attacks racism

German Hansi Flick, Barcelona coach, confirmed his team's readiness for the upcoming confrontation against Atletico Madrid, stressing the strength of the opponent and the need to maintain focus during the next stage. He also touched on the issue of racist chants, stressing his complete rejection of them.Flick spoke about the match, saying that the confrontation against Atletico is always complicated, given that the team has one of the best coaches in the world, along with a distinguished group of players, led by French star Antoine. Griezmann, noting his admiration for their way of playing and the strong atmosphere that characterizes their stadium.He added that the match represents a real test against one of the most prominent teams in the league and Europe, stressing that small details may decide the result, which requires reducing errors compared to the previous confrontation, praising at the same time the performance of the players in the recent training, considering that the team is heading towards a decisive period during the next two months.With regard to Robert Lewandowski’s absence from the World Cup, Flick explained that the player showed great professionalism. With his full participation in the recent matches, he expressed his regret for his absence from the global event, but stressed the importance of his current focus with the team in the next stage.He also touched on Marcus Rashford’s condition, stressing his satisfaction with his level, despite his recent suffering from some physical problems, indicating that the coming period represents an important opportunity for him to regain his best levels, similar to what Javi did, who began to gradually regain his readiness.Flick praised the “La Masia” academy, He stressed that it represents the cornerstone of Barcelona’s identity, expressing his admiration for the philosophy on which it is built. He also praised the women’s team, pointing to its excellence on the physical, technical and mental levels, and its ability to impose its style on the field.Regarding the pitch of the “Metropolitano” stadium, the German coach explained that he alerted his players to the necessity of adapting to it, whether through focus or even choosing the appropriate shoes, to ensure full readiness during the match.With regard to the return of the injured, Flick revealed. On positive news about the return of Kounde, Balde and Eric, with the expectation that they will gradually join group training over the next week, stressing that their return will be handled with caution.As for the racist chants that targeted Lamin Yamal, Flick stressed that what happened was unacceptable, praising the player’s reaction, stressing that football must be a space for inclusiveness and respect, calling for the need to address such behavior not only on the stadiums, but in society in a way. General.At the conclusion of his statements, he talked about Rafinha’s situation, explaining that he had a rest period after traveling to Brazil, after the technical staff communicated with him, stressing that such decisions are sometimes necessary to maintain the players’ mental and physical balance.