Barcelona boss Hansi Flick hails team mentality in ‘unbelievable’ win at Benfica

LISBON – Barcelona coach Hansi Flick pointed to his side’s mentality as key to their 5-4 comeback win at Benfica on Jan 21 that secured their spot in the Champions League last 16.

Coming off a disappointing 1-1 La Liga draw at Getafe, Barca were 3-1 down at half-time after Benfica’s Vangelis Pavlidis netted a hat-trick, with the Greek striker pouncing on some sloppy defending from the visitors at the Estadio da Luz.

Although his men improved after the break, they were 4-2 down towards the end of the match before goals from Robert Lewandowski, Eric Garcia and Raphinha secured their comeback.

“It was a very crazy game. The most positive thing was the mentality we had. We came back and that’s wonderful. That’s football and that’s why we love it,” Flick told Movistar.

“I don’t think I’ve ever experienced a comeback like this. It is unbelievable. We didn’t play so well in the first half. They are very good and scored first. They made us defend very deep. We were not in the right position. In the second half, we were better and substitutions helped us a lot.”

Raphinha added: “We knew how hard it would be here, in front of their fans, and they know how to play really well, they have top level players. We didn’t let ourselves sink at 3-1 down, we were focused on what we needed to do to try and change the game.

“It was a spectacular game for everyone. They could have won, or us, but we managed to take it.”

Flick’s decision to field goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny in place of Inaki Pena could have backfired after errors by the Pole led to two Benfica goals in the first half. But the Barca boss stood by Szczesny, adding the 34-year-old looked better after half-time.

“Which player does not make mistakes? It is normal. Szczesny had some mistakes, but all the players made mistakes in the first half,” said the 59-year-old German, whose side complete the league phase with a home game against Atalanta on Jan 29.

“We win together, we lose together. We are a team. I liked what I saw in the second half, he saved a clear chance for Benfica.”

Flick said his side would need to turn their attention to their next game at home to Valencia in La Liga, where they are third, seven points behind leaders Real Madrid.

“The victories give us time to keep believing in this project and send the message to the young players that we can and want to improve,” he said.

“It’s very important to focus on the Valencia game and we also want to beat Atalanta. We don’t have to think that we are at ease.”

Barca’s La Liga rivals Atletico Madrid also staged a late comeback victory.

Coach Diego Simeone said their 2-1 win over Bayer Leverkusen would live long in the memory as he praised his side’s bravery after they played more than an hour with 10 men in a thrilling clash at the Estadio Metropolitano.

Atletico midfielder Pablo Barrios was shown a straight red card for a reckless studs-up tackle from behind on Jeremie Frimpong in the 23rd minute.

Leverkusen then went ahead through Piero Hincapie’s first-half header before the hosts recovered, thanks to Julian Alvarez’s brace to beat the German side, who also ended with 10 men.

“It was a match that will surely remain in the memory of the people who saw it for a long, long time,” Simeone told Movistar Plus.

“Because it was an important match and an important win earned in a very exciting Champions League night. I’m happy with the joy that all the people who came to the stadium. They went home after living a nice, nice moment with us.”

His opposite number Xabi Alonso added: “In these situations, it’s not just football that counts, it’s also the maturity that we have at that moment and today I think we lacked that.” REUTERS, AFP