Flick: 'Fermin Lopez delivered an outstanding performance'

Hansi Flick praised his student after the hat-trick that led Barcelona to a big win over Olympiacos.

FC Barcelona coach Hansi Flick showered praise on Fermín López, the true hero for Barca after scoring three goals in 90 minutes against Olympiacos. This achievement made Fermin Lopez the first Spanish player to score a hat-trick for Barcelona in the history of the Champions League.

"Fermin Lopez put on a fantastic display. Three goals, with the first being crucial to open the scoring. He is a player who has it all: he’s energetic, and we also need his speed," the German coach shared with Movistar Liga de Campeones.

These goals made it a great night for Fermin Lopez in his first start since returning from injury. He is very likely to start again on Sunday when Barcelona returns to La Liga for an away match at Santiago Bernabeu against Real Madrid in El Clasico.

Flick did not hide that the impressive victory over Olympiacos today will help the team prepare better for the upcoming trip to Bernabeu next Sunday, where Barcelona has the chance to reclaim the top spot in La Liga from Real Madrid if they win.

"The most important thing is that we won today, and that will boost our confidence for that match. It was a great game. There isn’t much time to waste. Barcelona will come back and must be ready," Hansi Flick added.

At the start, we faced some difficulties, but we deserved the victory. Every goal counts, and every win is important. As for the referee? The referee’s decisions are not my concern. I don’t want to argue or debate about it."

Barcelona is now heading to Bernabeu for the El Clasico this weekend, and Fermin Lopez hopes his team can perform well against Real Madrid."We are entering the El Clasico in a very good mood. This is a very important match for everyone. We hope to play well and win,"he added. "I try to show what I can do on the pitch to earn the chance to play."