Barcelona were not at their best and Flick admitted there was a lack of intensity from his side, particularly early in the game.
“We have the quality to win these matches. I told you we have to believe in this team. It’s not easy to win here at Atlético, and the team has done a fantastic job. We are here, we work every day to win titles, and that’s what we want,” he said.
“We adapted a bit in the second half. In the first half we weren’t on the pitch in certain situations and there was a lack of intensity.”
Flick changed things up on the break, sending Frenkie de Jong on at right back. The German coach explained his decision and how he was much happier with his team’s performance after halftime.
“I spoke with Frenkie before the match about whether he could play in that position for fifteen minutes as a full-back, until Bernal got tired. And he said if the team needed him, he was ready,” he added.
“In the first half we were far from the opponent and we couldn’t press effectively. But you play 90 minutes: the first half wasn’t perfect, but the second was. I’m happy, especially for the three points. It was important.”
Gn sports
