Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick has promised to strengthen his team’s defensive solidity next season after a dramatic 4-3 victory over Real Madrid in Sunday’s La Liga Clasico.
The win at the Olympic Stadium puts Barcelona within touching distance of the La Liga title, opening up a seven-point lead over second-placed Madrid with just three matches left.
Despite the crucial win, Barcelona’s defensive frailties were once again on display. Real Madrid missed several late opportunities to equalize, and just days earlier, Inter Milan eliminated Barca from the Champions League semi-finals in another 4-3 thriller, exposing similar issues at the back.
“It hasn’t been easy to address some things in training,” Flick told reporters. “I know we need to improve defensively, and that’s something we’ll focus on next season.”
Barcelona’s high defensive line was frequently exploited, with Kylian Mbappe netting a hat-trick and seeing two more goals ruled out, while Vinicius Junior also caused problems. However, Barca’s attacking firepower has been formidable, racking up 16 goals against Real in four meetings this season all of which they’ve won.
Flick acknowledged the entertaining but nerve wracking nature of his side’s performances. “Sometimes it’s not fun, I suffer a lot,” he admitted. “But I’m happy with the overall progress. Football is about mistakes, and we aim to make fewer of them moving forward.”
He defended his players, stressing that defensive lapses were more about the team’s structure than individual failings. “This journey we began last year isn’t over,” he said. “It’s not about the back four, Real have world-class attackers and when we make mistakes, they capitalize.”
Barcelona can clinch the title on Thursday with a win at Espanyol, or earlier if Real Madrid drop points against Mallorca on Wednesday.
“We’re in a strong position,” Flick added. “We need three more points, and while every game is a battle, we’ve shown we have the quality to finish the job.”
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