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FC Barcelona shall be aiming to take a step nearer in the direction of securing a spot within the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League after they face SL Benfica tomorrow within the Spherical of 16 first-leg.
The Blaugrana go into the sport on the again of a convincing 4-0 win over Actual Sociedad in La Liga and shall be hoping to construct on that and return from Lisbon with a bonus for the second leg in Montjuic.
On the eve of the match at Estadio da Luz, Barcelona supervisor Hansi Flick spoke to the media, offering an replace on Gavi, who didn’t prepare on Monday as a consequence of fever, whereas discussing doable workforce choice and the Neymar switch rumours, amongst different issues.
“We’ll see. He didn’t prepare yesterday as he didn’t really feel properly. The physician will see him and we are going to determine,” mentioned Flick about Gavi, leaving his involvement in tomorrow’s recreation as a doubt for now.
On whether or not Barcelona go into the sport with the second leg at dwelling on their minds, the German tactician replied:
“We now have to suppose that there’s a second leg, clearly. We face top-of-the-line groups within the event, they play very properly. The target is to play higher than them.”
The final time these two groups met, earlier this season within the league section, the sport resulted in a 5-4 stoppage-time win for Barça. On the probabilities of tomorrow’s recreation panning out in an analogous manner, Flick mentioned:
“They’ve their concept of the sport and we have now ours. Tomorrow we’ll see what occurs. I hope to see a greater dynamic from the beginning than the earlier go to. It is going to be a troublesome recreation.”
The Barcelona coach then praised Robert Lewandowski, who has now reached the very best aim tally in a season since becoming a member of the membership, saying:
“It’s at all times good to have a striker who scores so many objectives and the workforce provides him that probability. It’s a collective mission. That’s the important thing. We now have to maintain going the way in which we’ve been going for the final two months.”
Hansi Flick expects a distinct recreation in comparison with final time vs Benfica. (Picture by Octavio Passos/Getty Photos)
Amid rampant speculations about Neymar eager to return to Barcelona in the summertime, Flick was requested to offer his opinion on the matter.
“It’s not my job. I’m very targeted on this workforce and the season. It’s a must to be targeted on the competitors. The remainder is the job of different folks on the membership, not mine,” he curtly mentioned.
The 60-year-old tactician additionally spoke concerning the dilemma of selecting between Gavi and Dani Olmo within the No. 10 place and what they create to the desk, saying:
“Gavi can play in numerous positions, he’s a presser and he provides us a defensive method. He performs properly with the ball. Olmo enjoys enjoying in that place, he scores objectives and creates possibilities.”
Flick additionally congratulated kids Marc Casado and Gerard Martin, who scored their first aim for the senior workforce towards Sociedad on the weekend.
“It’s improbable. They confirmed me a photograph of the gamers celebrating the aim and I prefer it. They’re grateful for the schooling of La Masia and so they present it,” he mentioned.
It has been ten years since Barça final received the UEFA Champions League, however Flick insisted that the workforce will concentrate on the problem that lies instantly in entrance of them, saying:
“There is no such thing as a simple recreation at this stage. Benfica are a improbable opponent who’ve a stadium with a particular environment. It is going to be troublesome.”
On whether or not Barcelona are one of many favourites to win the competitors, he added: “I at all times take into consideration the subsequent recreation, and that’s Benfica. I don’t suppose it’s good to speak about it, to transcend that.
“We began 0-0 and we have now to offer all the pieces in each recreation. Our opponents additionally need to beat us.”
When requested about tomorrow’s lineup, Flick opted to play his playing cards near his chest, saying: “I’m not going to offer any clues, generally I do however I received’t do it now, particularly within the Champions League.”
Concluding, Flick refused to single out any explicit particular person as a risk from Benfica, however praised the Portuguese outfit, as he mentioned:
“I don’t like to speak about names however concerning the workforce. I like the way in which they play with the ball, they arrive in from the flanks and it’s troublesome to defend their plan. We’ve thought concerning the technique for the sport and I feel we’re prepared.”
Supply: Mundo Deportivo
