Hansi Flick, head coach of FC Barcelona, expressed his disappointment following the 2-2 draw against Real Betis at the Benito Villamarín, in the 16th round of LaLiga EA Sports. Flick admitted his team fell short of expectations and highlighted key areas for improvement.

Criticism of the Team’s Performance

The German coach did not shy away from pointing out the shortcomings in his team’s play:
"It wasn’t a good match, I’ve said it. We’re a young team, and we have a lot to improve. We need to be stronger, especially when playing away. We have quality, but we need to show it in every game."

Flick noted that the team relied too heavily on long balls and lacked the quick, precise passing that aligns with their desired style of play:
"We need to focus on our strengths and what we have to do. We played very poorly from the start," he emphasized.

Tactical Adjustments and Future Objectives

Flick defended the substitutions made in the second half, stressing the need for fresh legs ahead of their crucial Champions League clash against Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday:
"We have an important Champions League match on Wednesday, and we needed to make adjustments," he explained.

On His Controversial Expulsion

The match was also marked by Flick’s expulsion in the 65th minute after protesting a VAR-reviewed penalty awarded to Betis. Flick denied making any offensive remarks and attributed his reaction to frustration with the lengthy decision process:
"It took a long time to decide whether it was a penalty or not, and if it takes that long, there must be doubt. I don’t agree with my expulsion. I was angry with myself, not with anyone else," he clarified.