Hansi Flick urges Barcelona to learn from past Champions League failures ahead of their match against Newcastle. He praises the team’s unity and focus, while acknowledging the strength of their opponents. Lamine Yamal’s absence provides an opportunity for Marcus Rashford to shine.
Hansi Flick has issued a rallying cry to his Barcelona squad, urging them to internalize the painful lessons of last year's Champions League campaign as they prepare for their 2025-26 journey. The Blaugrana are set to face Newcastle United at St. James' Park, marking their first encounter since March 2003. The Catalan giants are desperate to end their decade-long Champions League drought. Flick, still haunted by the memory of his team's semi-final exit against Inter Milan (losing 7-6 on aggregate), watched as the Serie A team was defeated by Paris Saint-Germain in the final.
According to Opta's supercomputer, Barcelona has been given an 8% chance of winning the Champions League this season. Manchester City (9%), PSG (11%), Arsenal (18%), and Liverpool (20%) are rated higher. Flick believes his team can learn from last season's failures. "From my experience, you always have to give your best in every game. I think we have to learn from each meeting, from what happened to us last year," Flick told reporters. Flick highlighted the team's performance against Valencia, where he emphasized the team's unity and focus.
Barcelona has a strong record against English teams in the Champions League, having won 12 of their last 16 games (drawing two and losing two) and averaging 2.1 goals per game. However, their previous away game in England saw them lose 4-0 to Liverpool, and they have only lost consecutive matches on English soil once before. Flick showed great respect for Eddie Howe's Newcastle side, who recently secured their first Premier League victory of the season against Wolves.
"I've never been to this stadium before. It's one of the best atmospheres. I expect intensity, dynamism. They are an opponent who is attentive to the second play," Flick stated. He praised Howe's growth as a coach and emphasized the team's unity and desire for the ball. "I think the game we played against Valencia was very good, I saw that we did what we want to do. Everyone wants the ball. There is trust," he added.
Flick acknowledged the challenges ahead, noting the strength of the teams in the Champions League, but expressed confidence in his own team's abilities. Flick's teams have a high goals-per-game average in the Champions League. His Bayern Munich side (2019-2021) averaged 3.2 goals per game, while Barcelona averages 3.1 goals per game.
Lamine Yamal played an important role in Barcelona's attacking output. He scored five goals and provided three assists in the previous Champions League campaign. In the 2024-25 season, the 18-year-old completed 56 dribbles, more than any other player in the competition. Yamal is out for the Newcastle match due to a hamstring injury sustained while playing for Spain. Marcus Rashford has a chance to impress. Since joining on loan from Manchester United, Rashford has made four appearances, including two starts, and contributed one assist in Barcelona's 6-0 victory over Valencia.
Rashford has a good track record against Newcastle, having been involved in eight goals in 11 career starts (five goals, three assists), including four in six starts at St. James' Park (two goals, two assists). "I want to talk about the players who can play. Tomorrow he can't play and we'll see on Sunday. We have a good squad and there are people for the position," Flick stated. He added that Rashford is in the team and has the opportunity to step up. "I hope he can show in England what he did on Sunday," Flick said, praising Rashford's speed, one-on-one abilities, and finishing. "It's very good to have him in the team. He's an incredible, fantastic player. What I'm seeing is very good."