Barcelona manager Hansi Flick made a heartfelt Champions League vow following his side’s dominant 2-0 El Clasico victory over Real Madrid, which secured the La Liga title. But behind the scenes, the night was marked by profound personal loss.
Just hours before kickoff, Flick received devastating news: his father had passed away. Despite the grief, he stayed on the touchline and led his team through one of the most important matches of the season. After the final whistle, emotions spilled over as Flick opened up about the difficult day.
“It was a tough match and I’ll never forget this day,” Flick said. “I want to thank the squad, the president, the vice-president, Deco and everyone who supported us. In the end, the most important thing is that I’m very proud to have such a good team. Thank you for their determination to fight for the full 90 minutes. We must celebrate this. Visca Barça and Visca Catalunya.”
Flick won his second La Liga title. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
The victory over Real Madrid was another statement performance from Barcelona, who have looked increasingly dominant in the final stretch of the campaign. Flick praised both the mentality and defensive organization of his team.
“It’s fantastic to have won La Liga in El Clásico against Real Madrid. It wasn’t easy; they’re a great team. I’m very proud of my players. We played and defended very well against a great team. I’m proud – what can I say? The atmosphere in this dressing room is fabulous. I’m happy in Barcelona.”
Even with injuries affecting the squad throughout the season, Barcelona found consistency when it mattered most. “Injuries haven’t made it easy for us, but even so, we’ve been fantastic. We’ve played very well in this final stretch of the league. We’ve done well in defence.”
Flick highlighted performances from several defenders and praised the depth available on the bench. “Cubarsi, Gerard Martin, Eric… They’ve been fantastic. And I’ve been able to make use of the bench because there were so many players available. It might take a few weeks… but we’re happy. And now we want to reach 100 points. That said, the players deserve a celebration now. And next year we’re going to try to win the Champions League.”
Flick has nothing but praise for the Barcelona players. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
Flick also spoke about the unity inside the Barcelona squad and explained why he has enjoyed working at the club since arriving earlier in the season. “It’s not easy. You have to manage things. At the start of the season, I spoke about egos, but then what I saw in training gave me a very good feeling.”
Later in the interview, the Barcelona coach emotionally revealed how he informed the players about his father’s passing before the game. “Yes. My mum called to tell me that my dad had passed away. I have a good relationship with the players, and I wanted to tell them. It’s not easy to speak on a day like today. But the players’ reaction has been spectacular.”
The emotional scenes continued after the match when several Barcelona players celebrated with Flick, embracing him in a show of solidarity. Despite the heartbreak, Flick’s focus now turns to the future: a push to reach 100 points this season and a bold promise to win the Champions League next year.