Barcelona will host Girona on Sunday in el Derbi Català, just days after the Blaugrana put three goals past CA Osasuna in a comfortable victory at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys.
Hansi Flick criticised the congested fixture calendar after that match, which was played just a day after the international window slammed shut, having been postponed from March 8 as a result of the tragic passing of Dr Carles Miñarro García.
Coincidentally, the rearranged date would have been Miñarro’s birthday, and Flick confirmed in his pre-Girona press conference that “we were all thinking of him.”
“I’ve got the feeling that we’re all very proud of the result against Osasuna,” he explained, highlighting Gavi as a key player who “helped us a lot” throughout the match.
“Gavi’s best position is in the 6 or as an 8,” Flick told reporters, “but he’s also got quality in other positions and against Osasuna, he applied great pressure high up the pitch.”
The 60-year-old added: “I’m very happy with how he’s performing as a 6 because he’s been fantastic. He’s great in possession and with the ball, and he helped us a lot against Osasuna.”
But heading into this final flurry of fixtures as the LaLiga season comes to a close, there are concerns that Barça’s over-reliance on youngsters could be damaging. 17-year-old Lamine Yamal has, as a result of his incredible form, seemingly become undroppable – though there are now calls from fans to give the Euro 2024 winner a break.
“I think he’s a very intelligent player who knows how to manage the game,” Flick explained on Saturday, before going on to add: “I spoke with him this morning to see how he is, and the response was that he’s feeling really positive.”
“I always tell players to let me know if they’re feeling any discomfort or anything. They’re responsible for their bodies. My experience from when I was a player is that, if I felt discomfort and I didn’t make anyone aware, I could get injured and that’s what I say to my players.”