FC Barcelona continued their winning start to the La Liga campaign with a 5-2 victory over Rayo Vallecano at Spotify Camp Nou, a result that marked the Blaugranes’ third consecutive league win. Yet Hansi Flick’s post-match remarks made clear that the German coach sees plenty of room for improvement despite the scoreline, particularly around how his side manages games once they take control of them.
Speaking after the match, as quoted by SPORT, Flick was pleased with much of what he saw before the break. “We played very well in the first half. I liked many of the things I saw in the first half. The goal is something that can happen, but I really liked our reaction,” he said.
Rayo Vallecano found the net during the match, and it was Barcelona’s response to conceding that earned particular praise from their coach. Still, at one stage the Catalans led 3-1, and Flick was adamant that his side needed to manage that advantage with more composure rather than let the game get complicated, a point examined further in this look at Barcelona’s defensive test against Rayo.
“When you’re 3-1 up, you have to control the game better. We have the quality to do that. This is the attitude of our team: they always want to attack, but sometimes it is better to calm the game down.”
Flick also singled out set-piece defending as a specific weakness that needs addressing, acknowledging that Rayo caused problems with their pace on the day. “For me, we have to improve at defending corners. In these situations, we need to perform much better,” he said, a theme that ties into ongoing questions over Barcelona’s centre-back options.
On the subject of Rodri, the club’s new summer signing, Flick was measured rather than effusive. The coach noted that the player had only been with the squad for two days and still needs to build up his physical condition, while also stressing his long-term importance to the side, a topic explored further in this piece on Rodri’s early days at Barcelona.
“Rodri can be key in these games; that is why he is here. He needs to improve physically because he has only been here for two days.”
Barcelona remain at the top of the league table following the win, and Flick’s comments suggest a coach already thinking beyond the result itself. The five goals were satisfying, but the corners conceded and the moments of lost control against Rayo were clearly the details occupying his attention as preparations turn to the next fixture.