Hansi Flick emphasizes areas for improvement for Barcelona despite a convincing 7-3 victory over Seoul, praising Gavi’s performance and highlighting De Jong’s contract extension intentions.
Despite Barcelona's commanding 7-3 victory over Seoul in a recent pre-season friendly, manager Hansi Flick remains grounded, acknowledging that the team still has "things to fix." The match, which saw impressive performances from Lamine Yamal and Ferran Torres, who both scored twice, alongside goals from Robert Lewandowski, Gavi, and Andreas Christensen, highlighted both the team's strengths and areas needing improvement.
Barcelona's journey to a decisive win wasn't without its challenges. The team initially found themselves pegged back to a 2-2 draw in the first half, courtesy of goals from Seoul's Cho Young-Wook and Yazan Al Arab. However, they managed to regain their composure and take the lead again just before halftime.
The second half saw Barcelona capitalize, ultimately leading to a comprehensive victory. Statistically, Barcelona's expected goals (xG) totaled 2.33 from 19 shots, dwarfing Seoul's 0.93 from their 9 attempts. As they prepare for their final pre-season game in Asia against Daegu FC, before facing Como for the Joan Gamper Trophy, Flick has emphasized the importance of continued progress and addressing the lapses in concentration that allowed their opponents back into the game.
Flick expressed, "We committed some errors, and they are things we have to fix," underscoring his commitment to honing the team's performance. Furthermore, Flick lauded midfielder Gavi for his outstanding display against Seoul, where he not only scored a goal but also provided an assist. Gavi's contributions extended beyond scoring, as he jointly led the team in chances created and displayed tenacity in duels and tackles.
Flick also highlighted Frenkie De Jong's commitment. De Jong confirmed his intention to sign a contract extension, which solidifies his future with the club, which will be a relief to Barcelona. With key players like Raphinha, Yamal, and Wojciech Szczesny already securing contract renewals, and Jules Kounde expected to follow suit, Barcelona are working hard to secure their future.
The Barcelona boss mentioned, "I am very happy at Barca and from what I know, Barca are happy with me so, in the end, I will renew," reflecting on his situation and the future with Barcelona. By fixing the issues, Barcelona can hopefully perform to the best of their abilities for the upcoming season.