In the 18th round of the 2025-26 La Liga season, Barcelona beat Espanyol 2-0 with late goals from Javi Olmo and Robert Lewandowski to win the derby. After the game, Barcelona coach Hansi Flick said in an interview that the team needs to make some adjustments.
Why did Barcelona fail to break the deadlock for a long time in the second half?
—We have to take into account that Espanyol played very well in this game. I don’t think the result fully reflects the true situation of the match, but in the end, our performance on the field, especially after the substitutions, really deserved this victory. First of all, I want to thank Joan García; he is one of the best goalkeepers in the world. I also want to thank the substitute players. We won three points, which is the message we want to convey in La Liga.
What do you think of Joan García’s mental toughness?
—Excellent. I believe he will not forget the experience here today, because he once played for Espanyol, which gave him opportunities. But now he is our player and one of the key figures in this victory.
Has this victory boosted confidence for the upcoming Super Cup?—Of course. It’s not easy to play this game right after the Christmas break and quickly move into the Super Cup. But I believe this victory will bring us confidence and hope everything goes well. You know I always evaluate based on performance in training, and I am satisfied with what I have seen so far. Despite the difficult process, we still got three points.
Did you have a conversation with Joan García before the game?
—Of course. But as I said yesterday, he looked calm, focused and confident as always. The best teams have the best goalkeepers, and he is one of them.
