Hansi Flick appeared satisfied after FC Barcelona's 0-2 victory in the derby against Espanyol at Cornellá, especially highlighting the performance of Joan García. The German coach did not hesitate to publicly thank the Barça goalkeeper, who was returning to the stadium where he trained as a professional footballer, and placed him among the best goalkeepers on the planet.
Flick's statements reflect the importance of this victory not only for the three points in LaLiga, but also for the morale boost ahead of the Spanish Super Cup to be held next week in Saudi Arabia
Joan García, absolute protagonist on his return to Cornellá
The first thing Hansi Flick did when analyzing the match was to praise the great performance of Joan García:
"I have to thank Joan García. He is one of the best goalkeepers in the world"
The Barcelona goalkeeper was decisive with several key interventions that kept a clean sheet in a complicated match where Espanyol created dangerous chances.
The German coach also highlighted the goalkeeper's mental strength in an emotionally complex context: "I think he will not forget what he has experienced here, because he played for Espanyol, they gave him the opportunity here.But now he plays for us and has been one of those responsible for the victory." **Joan García** demonstrated professionalism and absolute concentration before the fans who saw him grow, confirming why **FC Barcelona** bet on his signing.
Self-criticism and recognition for Espanyol's match
Flick did not hide that Barça suffered against an Espanyol that put up a very competitive game: "We have to take into account that Espanyol played a very good game. I don't think we deserved this result." The Barça coach publicly congratulated Manolo González for the work done and admitted that the performance of the periquito team did not surprise him:
"They are doing a great job, playing much better than last season"
However, the German praised his team's ability to resolve a difficult match thanks to the substitutions made: "The quality we put on the field, after the changes, deserved the win."
The players who came off the bench brought freshness and imbalance at key moments, allowing Barcelona to take all three points from a historically difficult ground like the RCDE Stadium.
Renewed Confidence Heading into the Spanish Super Cup
The victory in Cornellá comes at the perfect time for FC Barcelona, who are traveling to Saudi Arabia to compete in the Spanish Super Cup. Hansi Flick confirmed that this triumph provides a fundamental morale boost: "Of course, the victory will give us confidence. It's not easy after this Christmas break to play this match and go to the Super Cup so quickly."
The Barça coach was optimistic about the tournament after observing good feelings in the previous training sessions: "You know I always talk about what I see in training and I'm happy with what I'm seeing."For Hansi Flick, this victory in the Barcelona derby represents one of the most valuable triumphs of the season due to the emotional context and the difficulty of the match.
With Joan García proving to be a winning bet between the posts and the team showing character to overcome adversity, Barça faces the Supercopa with renewed expectations of expanding their trophy cabinet this season.