Barca's coach admits the reality after the Champions League defeat to PSG

02/10/2025 11:00:00 PlaymakerHub

Coach Hansi Flick admitted that Barca has not reached the level of Paris Saint-Germain after the Catalan club’s 1-2 defeat at the Olympic Stadium in the Champions League.

Hansi Flick acknowledged that Barca is not yet at PSG’s level

In this match, Ferran Torres quickly scored the opening goal for Barcelona, but Senny Mayulu managed to equalize before halftime. At the 90th minute, Gonçalo Ramos stood out with the winning goal, securing PSG’s second consecutive victory in the group stage and ending Barca’s unbeaten run this season.

"You could see that today, there’s no reason to claim we are on the same level," Flick said during the post-match press conference.

"But I still have faith in the team. Today wasn’t our best day, but we will keep working to reach that standard. We lost, but we want to come back stronger."

Coach Hansi Flick admits Barca has not reached PSG’s level

Flick acknowledged the difference in style: "You can clearly see PSG’s quality. I’m confident we can play like that too. But it requires full focus for 90 minutes, with the whole team defending, attacking, exploiting spaces, and controlling the ball. At PSG, everyone wants to touch the ball, everyone knows how to use space, playing one-on-one, two-on-one... This is what we must learn to improve."

In this match, Barca had high expectations as PSG was missing several key players like Ousmane Dembélé, Désiré Doué, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, and Marquinhos due to injury. Torres’ early goal further boosted confidence, even though Barca also lost important figures such as goalkeeper Joan García, Raphinha, Gavi, and Fermín López. After halftime, the visitors gradually tired and lost control of the game.

Flick praised PSG for their impressive performance despite not having their strongest lineup. "Their football philosophy is excellent, with talented young players who are fast on the ball. They bring new energy that strengthens the squad. Meanwhile, we have just gone through a demanding schedule, which is something we need to learn from."

"We started very well, but after 30 to 35 minutes, PSG began to control the game. We faced pressure at the end of the first half and especially in the second half when we lost control of the rhythm. We lacked the organization expected at the highest Champions League level, especially against a strong opponent like PSG," Flick analyzed.

The German coach also revealed the fitness status of several key players: "In the second half, it was clear some players were very tired. We had to manage the energy of Pedri, Marcus [Rashford]. Frenkie de Jong as well, but he played with all his ability. At 1-1, we should have defended more tightly and maintained a better structure."

Barca came very close to a draw, but Ramos’ late goal left them empty-handed. "Of course, we are disappointed. Having held the 1-1 score until the last minute, we should have been more alert and smarter. We couldn’t allow the opponent to counterattack and score so easily. This is something we must learn from and organize better. We need to take this lesson on board," Flick emphasized.

Barcelona will return to LaLiga next Sunday with an away match at Sevilla, where they aim to strengthen their position at the top of the table.

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