Will Lamine Yamal Play Against Valencia? Hansi Flick Clears the Doubt
After the stabbing of his father, the question was whether Barcelona's young star would be fit to play. The German coach answered.
Barcelona's German coach, Hansi Flick, stated that he doesn't dwell on "things that can't be changed" regarding the current difficulties with player registration or injuries, emphasizing that there are "no excuses or complaints."
In the pre-match press conference ahead of Barça's season opener against Valencia—scheduled for Saturday 3:30 PM ET—Flick was asked about the inability to field players like Íñigo Martínez, Dani Olmo, Pau Víctor, Alex Valle, and Pablo Torre due to financial fair play restrictions.
"We don’t think about things we can’t change. No excuses, no complaints. I’ve had many experiences in the past, and I’ve come here knowing the situation. So we’re focused on tomorrow’s match. I accept the situation as it is," said Flick, who will not announce the squad list for the match until Saturday morning.
According to club sources cited by EFE, the documentation regarding the agreement with Aramark to unlock the financial situation is already with LaLiga, which will make the final decision. There's a possibility that the issue could be resolved shortly before the match begins.
Nevertheless, Flick is confident in the quality of his squad and believes his team can compete against anyone, including Real Madrid. "Football is about winning or losing. We prepare for each match," he summarized.
Lamine is in optimal condition, Pedri is halfway there; Olmo is not
Not one for making bold statements, Flick mentioned that Lamine Yamal, after being involved in an incident with his father, is mentally prepared to play. Pedri González is not ready to start but could help in the second half, while Dani Olmo needs more time to regain his form after the European Championship.
The German coach expressed his eagerness for the team's debut against a "very tough" opponent like Valencia, who play with a 4-4-2 formation, using a very direct and attacking style. "They’ll look for spaces in the first line, and that’s what we expect," he noted.
Regarding the unavailable players, Flick mentioned that he has 22 or 23 players ready, all with chances to play, except Dani Olmo, who "has few training sessions" and needs to train more to be able to help the team.
He described Pedri as "a special player" and said he's happy to have him back, though he’s still recovering from the injury he suffered in the last European Championship. "We’ll see tomorrow; maybe he’s an option for the second half to help us," Flick said.
As for the transfer market, which closes at the end of the month, the German coach said he’s "happy" with the players he has.
Barça will be a very strong team when the injured players return
"We don’t know what will happen; it’s not easy, but I have a lot of confidence in the club and am very happy with what the team has shown. And when the injured players return, I’m convinced we’ll be a very strong team," he insisted.
Regarding the possibility of strengthening the midfield with an experienced player like Andreas Christensen, rather than continuing to rely on young players like Marc Bernal and Marc Casadó, Flick said he doesn’t usually discuss his tactical strategy.
"I don’t like to say much about tactics; I never do. About Monday’s match—in the Gamper—I have no excuses, we accept it because the team was a bit tired from training very hard," he insisted.
He also spoke about the injured players Frenkie de Jong and Ansu Fati, expressing that he’s not optimistic about their short-term recovery. "We don’t have a return date, but they are on the right path," he said.
As for Gavi, who is still recovering from a long-term injury and won’t be back until late October or early November, Flick said, "I’m very happy to see him working every day, but he needs time."
Regarding Thiago Alcántara’s departure after completing his coaching internship, Flick commented that "he will be a great coach in the future" and that it's up to Thiago to return to Barça if he wishes.