After Barcelona’s commanding 5-0 away victory over Elche, coach Flick addressed the media and revealed that Gavi’s injury is not as severe as initially suspected.

The performance looked perfect overall, but you seemed concerned in the first half?

I was worried because we lost possession too easily and too often, which is uncharacteristic of how we want to play. We need to improve our ball control—that's what I demand from the team. But overall, we kept a clean sheet, which is excellent. Our defense was outstanding, and scoring five goals against Elche is fantastic. Elche played well; I genuinely appreciated their style. They were brave in attack, which was impressive. Of course, we aimed to exploit the spaces they left open, especially after substitutions, and we were very effective in doing so.

Why wasn’t Balde included in the squad? Did you ask him to step aside?

No, I didn't ask him to leave. This morning, I felt that he wasn't in the right mindset, so I spoke with him and said: "This is how I'm feeling right now. I think it's best for you to clear your head, and we'll talk again tomorrow." He agreed because he had a lot on his mind, which is why he wasn't here today.

What is the status of Gavi’s injury? Did he injure his knee?

Yes, he hurt his knee. We're still awaiting the examination results. He thought it was serious when it happened, but it feels better than he initially feared, and he felt much better after the match. However, we still need to wait. We'll do an MRI scan, and then we'll have more clarity.

After the 5-0 victory over Elche and impressive performances from new signings such as Gavi and Adeyemi, can you accept not signing a striker, or does the team still need one?

We'll discuss it internally. The club is fully aware of our needs, as Deco and I regularly talk about what we can do and what our priorities are. For now, we're delighted with the 5-0 result and the three points. It's a strong start that gives us confidence heading into our next matches.

Did you expect the team to perform at such a high level in the second half?

Our training standards are high, and that is what we work toward every day. For me, the most important thing is continuous improvement in training sessions. If players perform at this level in training, they can replicate it in matches. Playing as a unit is crucial—defending together and attacking together. Today, I saw that we still have plenty of room for improvement, but we also executed many things very well.

Esparto delivered an excellent performance at left-back. Are you surprised by his progress during pre-season?

He also competed in the U19 European Championship; he is completely fit and genuinely high-level. That is what I love—another La Masia product performing at such a high standard is remarkable. Whether he plays on the right, on the left, as an 8, or as a 5, it does not matter; he is exceptional. You do not need to give him extensive instructions; he instinctively knows what to do, and his technical ability is excellent.

Raphinha said he is willing to play in any position for the team. How do you assess his attitude? How important is this mindset?

Mindset is crucial for everyone, and we must maintain this positive approach every day. You cannot give 60% or 90%—it has to be 100%, and that is essential. Rapha is an excellent role model. He works hard, shows ambition and actively initiates the press. When he does, the other players follow. That is what leadership looks like.

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