Barcelona Coach Hansi Flick Slams ‘Unbelievable’ LaLiga Schedule
===========================================================
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick has expressed his frustration with the timing of his team’s upcoming LaLiga match against Celta Vigo, citing the need for more rest for his players. The Catalan club is still competing on three fronts this season, having advanced to the semifinals of the Champions League and set up a Copa del Rey final against Real Madrid later this month.
According to ESPN, Flick praised his team’s resilience, but complained about the early kickoff time for Saturday’s match against Celta Vigo. “Every league protects their clubs, especially when they play in the semifinals of the Champions League,” Flick told reporters on Friday. “It’s unbelievable, we have no time to rest.”
The German coach highlighted the difficulties his team faces in terms of recovery time, with players often arriving back in Barcelona very late from away games in Europe and not getting into bed until 5 a.m. “For me, the guys responsible for that — I want to discuss it with them … I don’t want to make excuses or complain,” Flick said. “I’m happy we’re not playing on Sunday at 2 p.m against Valladolid. But why can’t we play at 6 p.m like we normally do? Give me one reason. To me, it’s a joke and it affects Spanish football.”
Flick’s comments suggest that he believes LaLiga’s scheduling is not considerate of the demands placed on teams competing in multiple competitions. “The rest of the teams in the European leagues benefit,” he said. “I’m speechless because this situation is unbelievable. In the Bundesliga or Premier League, they take care of their clubs … They [LaLiga] have no idea what this [arriving late] means for the players.”
As ESPN reports, Celta Vigo are seventh in the standings and chasing European football, with Flick praising their coach Claudio Giráldez for his work in revitalising the team. “I have the highest respect for his work, he’s coached a great team … it has nothing to do with his age,” Flick said. “Celta have a clear idea of how they want to play, they’re very brave in their build-up.”
Flick’s focus is now on Saturday’s match against Celta Vigo, with the Barcelona coach urging his team to show their strengths and improve on their performance against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League. “For us it’s important we show our strengths, maybe what we missed in Dortmund,” he said. “We spoke about the situations we had in Dortmund and we have to do better tomorrow … We have to play at our highest level. Also, they like their away matches.”
Barcelona currently lead LaLiga by four points, and a win against Celta Vigo could potentially put them in a strong position to secure the title. However, Flick’s concerns about the scheduling of the match highlight the challenges faced by teams competing in multiple competitions, and the need for a more considerate approach to fixture scheduling.
In conclusion, Hansi Flick’s comments on the LaLiga schedule have sparked a debate about the demands placed on teams competing in multiple competitions. As ESPN notes, Flick’s team will be looking to secure a win against Celta Vigo on Saturday, despite the challenges posed by the early kickoff time. With the Copa del Rey final and Champions League semifinals still to come, Flick’s Barcelona will need to manage their schedule carefully if they are to achieve success on all fronts.
Source link
