Hansi Flick Urges Players to Prioritise Derby Over ‘Crucial’ Champions League Match

Atletico Madrid triumphed over Barcelona 2-0 at Camp Nou in the first leg of the quarter-finals earlier this week, leaving the Catalans facing a daunting task next Tuesday in the Spanish capital.

League leaders Barcelona will host their local rivals Espanyol on Saturday, holding a seven-point advantage over second-placed Real Madrid.

“The aspiration for every player, the club, the supporters, and the coaches is to clinch the Champions League,” Flick shared with the media.

“In every European fixture, the team shows an extra five percent motivation beyond their already full effort. This competition is the reason we are here.”

“While we must take care of our daily responsibilities in La Liga, the ultimate aim remains the Champions League title. That is the shared goal of myself, the players, and the club.”

Barcelona, who have won the Champions League five times, last lifted the trophy in 2015.

The reigning Spanish champions had a decisive victory over Espanyol in January, but since then, Manolo Gonzalez’s side has struggled, failing to win a single match and plummeting to 10th place after a promising first half of the season.

“Many of our players hail from La Masia (the club’s youth academy), and they understand the significance of playing against Espanyol,” Flick remarked.

“This is a derby, we are at home, and I am determined to win.”

The coach mentioned he would “manage minutes” by rotating certain players between the two Atletico matches, but affirmed that “whoever takes the field tomorrow will be a formidable team”.

Flick reassured that his players wouldn’t allow the upcoming visit to the Metropolitano Stadium to distract them.

“This is their responsibility, and they are very focused and prepared for tomorrow,” added the German coach.