Hansi Flick sat down in front of the Camp Nou press room and did not pretend. His side had lost 2-0 at home in the first leg of a Champions League quarter-final. The scoreline was bad. The manner of it was worse. But he was not ready to concede the tie.
"We played well in the first half and also in the second half with one less player. We gave everything, but today luck was not on our side. It is not over yet. We will try, we will fight. The semi-final might seem far away now, but we will try to be there."
The defining moment of the night was Pau Cubarsi's red card in the 44th minute for a foul on Giuliano Simeone. Flick was not entirely convinced it was the right call. "I am not sure if Cubarsi touches him enough for a red card," he said. But it was not the dismissal that enraged him most. In the 54th minute, with Atletico already a goal up, Marc Pubill handled the ball inside the penalty area following a goal-kick by Juan Musso. Referee Istvan Kovacs waved it away. VAR did not intervene.
"It should be a penalty and a second yellow for the player. What is the point of having VAR?" he told reporters. In a separate interview with Movistar he added: "The VAR was very focused today for Atletico. It is a German guy, so thanks Germany." The comment drew a sharp reaction on social media, but Flick stood by it. Barcelona have since filed a formal complaint with UEFA over the incident.
He was asked about Pedri's substitution at half-time. The midfielder had been on a booking and struggling with a minor physical issue. "He had some problems. Nothing serious but we need him fit, that is why we made the decision. Gavi was fantastic when he came on, like Olmo." He also defended Lamine Yamal, who was fouled repeatedly throughout and visibly frustrated. "I am always going to protect him," Flick said. "He will be one of the best players in the history of this country."
Barca face Atletico at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano on Tuesday, April 14. They need two goals without reply to force extra time.
