This Sunday evening, FC Barcelona will play their first league match of the new season against Elche. Head coach Hansi Flick outlined his team preparations at the pre-match press conference but declined to comment on transfer rumors linking FC Barcelona with Julián Álvarez.

How will you manage playing time for your players? Will players who featured in the Gamper Trophy play the full match? Are national team players not yet ready?

Yes, but that's normal. If you played in the World Cup, you won't be able to play the full match tomorrow, of course. But some players may need to. We have to manage our fitness, which isn't easy, but we have no excuses. The important thing is to win the first match and start well. That's our goal.

We know this will be a difficult match because Elche knows how to keep the ball, attack quickly, and control possession. We expect tomorrow to be no different. In short, this match won't be easy, but our team is very strong and we need to show that. We also want to take all three points.

We still don't have a striker. Are you worried? Have you ruled out the possibility of signing Julián Álvarez?

I'm not worried. I don't comment on players from other clubs. I only talk about my own players. Deco and I talk every day, and we want to strengthen the team. That's our job. The team and the club are what matter most, not any individual player or myself. Only Deco, myself, and a few others know exactly what we need, and Deco is doing excellent work.

Who is your first choice for the number 9 position for tomorrow's match?

We have many options. The first choice... I'm not sure (laughs). Of course I know. Maybe I'll surprise everyone tomorrow, but I don't think it will be difficult.

Hamza Abdelkarim performed well in pre-season. Is it possible he'll get an opportunity tomorrow? Can you tell us clearly whether FC Barcelona has given up on signing Julián Álvarez?

As I said before, I don't comment on players from other clubs. Only Deco, myself, and a few others know what we need, and we'll work to achieve our goals.

Hamza did perform excellently in pre-season. He's a very young number 9 with a bright future and scores quite a bit, which is very important for a striker. He's doing very well.

Ferran, Rashford, and Lewandowski scored nearly 100 goals for FC Barcelona combined, and now all three are no longer with the team. Aren't you worried?

We've had significant personnel changes, but sometimes change is good for a team. We've brought in many top-level players, and the team is very strong. Some players may worry about losing their starting position because of this, which is normal. There's competition in every position, and competition makes you stronger and keeps you developing. The team will grow with this too, so we can win the title. We're fortunate to have such high-level training every day. I told the players today that I think our training quality is very high, but the key is to make a good start tomorrow. We need to win. That's why we're working so hard.

How is Rodri's form in the first few training sessions with the team? He trained in the gym alone today. Can he play tomorrow?

He trained with the ball too. He's very serious and committed to getting fit. Our plan is for him to participate in full training on Monday. I'm very happy he's here. He's an outstanding player and an excellent leader with a great personality.

Since you took over at FC Barcelona, you've faced many Real Madrid coaches. Now outsiders see José Mourinho as your rival. What do you think?

Are we playing Real Madrid tomorrow? No. So please ask questions relevant to Elche.

Compared to the opening matches of the previous two seasons, how difficult will tomorrow's match against Elche be? More difficult, easier, or about the same?

This is our first match, and it's their second. Their season started last week. We still need to give it our all just the same. Some players may not be able to perform at 100% physically, but I'm asking everyone on the pitch to give their best to win this match. That's the key for tomorrow.

Will any players leave the club in the final few days of the transfer window? Alejandro Balde and Gündoğan are not for sale, right?

Many players left the club this summer, which was a decision by us and the club. As for whether anyone else will leave, we'll have to wait until the transfer window closes. When you want to bring in new players, it's normal that some have to leave. I think I've been honest with the players, and now we need to be patient.

What are your plans for João Cancelo? Can he play tomorrow?

Yes, he can play tomorrow. He's ready. He has excellent technique and is very committed. Last season he performed very well at fullback and also gave us more attacking options. He performs at his best at the right time and played a key role in us winning the league title.

Is Alejandro Balde part of your plans for this season? What do you think of him?

This is a difficult question because Alejandro Balde is very strong. As I've said before, what matters to me is whether you're willing to compete to earn your place. This is what I want to see in every player. I see the commitment and work ethic in their daily training. I observe whether they're ready to play or not, whether they're in good enough physical condition to play, and what they can bring to us. This is very important for the team and the club because we need everyone. We'll only be successful if we play as a team. I want everyone to be fully committed to the team.

What's your view on Julián Álvarez's situation at Atlético Madrid? Do you think he'll stay or move to another club?

I know you don't want to hear this answer, but as I said before, I don't want to talk about Julián Álvarez. I don't want to discuss his situation.

แปลโดย AI

เว็บไซต์ AF เปิดตัวแล้ว! ดูข่าว ความคิดเห็น รายละเอียดแมตช์ และสถิติครบถ้วนบนคอมพิวเตอร์ของคุณ เยี่ยมชม: www.allfootballapp.com