Hansi Flick makes no excuses for Barcelona’s slump, eyes turnaround in form
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Las Palmas Fabio Silva (right) celebrates after scoring the winning goal against Barcelona.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
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MADRID – Barcelona coach Hansi Flick said his players are not short on confidence after the 2-1 home loss to Las Palmas on Nov 30, but admitted that his side are disjointed in attack and defence, as their winless run in La Liga extended to three games.
La Liga leaders Barcelona’s 125th anniversary celebrations were spoilt by Las Palmas, leaving Flick’s side only four points ahead of third-placed Real Madrid, who are now in the driver’s seat with two games in hand.
Atletico Madrid are two points behind Barca (34) after their 5-0 win at bottom side Real Valladolid extended their winning run to seven matches in all competitions.
“I don’t think there is a lack of confidence in the players. Players alone can’t win games, it’s always about the team. We need to have good connections in defence and in attack, and today we didn’t have them,” said Flick.
The German coach, who introduced forwards Lamine Yamal and Ferran Torres as second-half substitutes following their return from injury, added: “It’s normal that some players, when they come back from injury, are not at the highest level.
“But if we play as a team, we should be able to beat any team, but if some players are disconnected it doesn’t go well.”
Barcelona do not play at home again until mid-December, with their next three games away at Mallorca and Real Betis in La Liga followed by Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League.
Raphinha, who scored for Barca in the second half, said they have to find a way to turn things around to get back to winning ways.
“We have to look at what we are doing wrong to try to improve and win the games,” said the Brazilian, who also hit the crossbar and saw a free kick tipped over the bar. “We have dropped the level of what we were doing and this is making games more difficult for us.
“I don’t care about the goal, I care about the victory. We didn’t win and I’m not satisfied with the match. Am I angry? Yes.”
Las Palmas-born Barca youth product Sandro Ramirez opened the scoring for the away side four minutes after half-time, with Fabio Silva grabbing the winner on 67 minutes, six minutes after Raphinha’s equaliser.
Barcelona’s Brazilian forward Raphinha scored the equaliser, but Las Palmas were not deterred and found the winner for a 2-1 victory.
PHOTO: AFP
Meanwhile, Las Palmas coach Diego Martinez said he was happy with the unified effort his team put in. He took over in October with Las Palmas bottom of the table, winless after nine matches. They have won four of their six league matches since, rising to 14th in the standings.
“The players give everything. Today, we were rewarded with points, even though that hasn’t always been the case. But the team is steadily becoming more like what we want it to be,” Martinez added.
REUTERS
