Head coach Hansi Flick van Barcelona rumbled with the schedule after Dani Olmo was injured on Thursday during their 3-0 win over Osasuna.
The match was rearranged after it was postponed earlier in March after the death of Barcelona First team Doctor Carles Minarro, although both teams will play again on Sunday.
Flick's side drove to three points to clear three points at the top of the table, with Olmo under the scorers before he sustained an injury.
The decision of Laliga to plan the match on Thursday was appealed by both teams, but that appeal was rejected.
“Today we made the best of the situation we have,” said Flick in the post-game news conference.
“It is not the right date to play this game. After the international break it was not good. We have three points more, but we have paid a really high price for Dani's injury, it's not good.
“We don't know how long he will be gone. If it is two weeks, this means many competitions. Or three weeks more competitions. It's not a good situation. The price was very high for the three points.”
Barcelona had to play the game without Raphinha, who played against Argentina on Tuesday for Brazil, while Ronald Arajo made the bank after his return of Uruguay obligation late on Wednesday.
In the meantime, the match itself was the first of seven to play the competition leaders in the room of 20 days and Flick thinks the bloated calendar ruined the spectacle of the sport.
75% – Hans -Dieter Flick has won 33 of his 44 games for @fcbarcelona in all competitions, equal to Tito Vilanova (75%). Of the managers with 10+ matches of Barcelona, only Luis Enrique (76.24%) has a better percentage than the German. Star #Barcelona #BarcelonaosaSuna pic.twitter.com/um7HB697FY
– Optajose (@Optajose) 27 March 2025
“I think you should listen to the players. This is the most important thing. And also to the coaches. In the summer there is the Club World Cup. It's difficult. The Nations League, International Breaks,” he said.
“I don't think it's a good thing this World Cup, in my opinion. OK, you can earn a lot of money, but it is not good for the players. We have to stop and think of the players.
“Fans want every player to give 100%, to see a spectacle … And when it goes this way, I think it's not at this level. We can't play at this level. Not only we, but also the other teams that will play the World Cup.”
But when he was asked about the implementation itself, Flick acknowledged that he was satisfied with his players and that the team was in a great position for the challenge for the challenge.
“We go through a great moment and I am proud of the team, the way they are confronted with the same commitment,” he told reporters.
“There are still 10 games to go and we are three points clearly at the top, so that is good and we have to continue with the same position.
“The situation was not easy, today was not ideal and it cost us when Olmo got injured. It did the victory a bitter taste.”
75% – Hans -Dieter Flick 
has won 33 of his 44 games for @fcbarcelona in all competitions, equal to Tito Vilanova (75%). Of the managers with 10+ matches of Barcelona, only Luis Enrique (76.24%) has a better percentage than the German. Star #Barcelona #BarcelonaosaSuna pic.twitter.com/um7HB697FY
– Optajose (@Optajose) 27 March 2025
In the meantime, Defender Jules Kounde repeated the concerns of his coach about the exceeding.
Kounde played 120 minutes for France on Sunday in their quarterfinals of the Nations League against Croatia before playing for the full game on Thursday.
“I'm angry about the date chosen for this game, it's not normal,” he said Dazn.
“It is true that I am lucky to do what I do, I know that, but it shows a lack of respect for the clubs, Barça and Osasuna, who both had international players to select this date.
“We are not machines and to play our game and give the fans what we want, to set up a show and play with intensity, we need rest.
“Above all, it shows a lack of respect for the players. All institutions must understand this, not only Laliga, everyone.
“We have not said anything yet because we did not want to apologize, but you reach a moment when your voice has to be heard. We are the most important actors in this and they cannot just do what they want.”
Comments