Hansi Flick enjoyed a hugely successful debut season that is responsible in Barcelona, who had to endure a campaign from their Camp Nou house, but the way in which Inter Milan defeated them in the semi-final of the UEFA Champions League has stabbed the German boss.
Barcelona had signed 3-3 at home, came down from two goals to lead 3-2 in the San Siro, and looked destined to reach the UEFA Champions League final since 2014/15 before the disaster struck. Inter Milan was leveled late by defender Francesco Acerbi and then insured an extra-time winner by Davide Frattesi to burst Flick's bubble.
However, Barcelona fans are not allowed to despair. Their side has already won a Copa del Rey Triumph, completed thanks to a 3-2 victory over archrivals Real Madrid and are also well placed to complete a domestic double, which should help bring their scary loss in Italy in a perspective.
Fans who want to bet on the Catalan giants to complete a success of La Liga can help those efforts with this great Betmgm promotional code, which will make every bet even sweeter, not least because it makes the promotion a bit closer to risk-free.
Flick, who arrived in FC Barcelona last May, enjoyed his debut season, but was not impressed by the standard of referee during the 4-3 loss on his side in Italy, and comments on the officials in less than glowing terms.
“I don't want to say too much about the referee. It would not be fair for my team, who gave everything. I told him what I thought of his performance,”
“Every 50-50 call went for the Italian side,” he added before praising his team's attitude and display.
“Of course they are disappointed after the game. We have to accept it – the football – but we can be proud of our achievements. I am proud,” “
“We are gone, but we'll be back. Hopefully we can play at home next year with an atmosphere like today,” Flick added, in referral to a long-awaited return to this Camp Nou house.
If there were a complaint to submit in the course of the two games, this would of course relate to their defense, and it is a point that was also touched, while it also touched the shape of teenager Wonderkid Lamine Yamal in the course of both legs of the fascinating semi-final.
“We have exceptional players, with Lamine Yamal, who is a genius. But it is the team that is most important. We need all our players to be at their best,”
“We have to defend better and change a few things. We must all be involved in our defensive tasks,” concluded Flick.
Flick repeated a lot of the same message about their defense after Barcelona defeated Real Madrid on Sunday, but will have been relieved to see his match react with a 4-3 victory that more or less La Liga excesses. The experienced manager, who won it all during his enchantment in Bayern Munich and also spent two years on the German national team, confirmed that he is already thinking about how they can improve their backline prior to the following season.