Hansi Flick sends warning to Real Madrid as Barcelona head for Clasico

Evening Standard

·25 ottobre 2024

Hansi Flick sends warning to Real Madrid as Barcelona head for Clasico

Barca will be looking to stay top of the LaLiga table in trip to Spanish capital

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick says his side will stick to their principles in Saturday’s Clasico clash with Real Madrid.

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Barca travel to the Santiago Bernabeu sitting top of La Liga, three points of their arch-rivals, and off the back of a stunning 4-1 victory over Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Wednesday night.

It was a win that saw Raphinha hit a brilliant hat-trick, but Barca ride their luck at times, with Bayern exploiting their extremely high defensive line, particularly in the first-half at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys.

Despite this, and Vinicius Jr. and Kylian Mbappe posing a formidable frontline, Flick is adamant his side will not change their style in what is their biggest game of the season so far.

Speaking ahead of the game, he said: “We have our ideas. Our philosophy is to press high, and make it hard for the opponent to play out. Being close, very close together. Too much space between the lines doesn't work for us. Real Madrid have very quick players, but I have full confidence in my team".

Flick’s options for the game have greatly increased in the last week, with Frenkie de Jong and Dani Olmo making returns from injury against Bayern, following on from Gavi’s comeback from nearly a year out in last weekend’s 5-1 win over Sevilla.

A win for Barca would lay a serious marker down as they look to regain their LaLiga title, and also stop Real Madrid equalling their record for league games unbeaten.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side have not lost in 42 LaLiga outings, one fewer than Barca’s 43-game run from 2017 to 2018.