Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has explained why he was left so emotional in the dugout after his side’s La Liga win on Sunday.
The Catalan giants went top of the league after their 3-1 victory over Alaves at the weekend at the newly-opened Camp Nou.
The hosts found themselves behind after just one minute but goals from Lamine Yamal and a brace from Dani Olmo got Barcelona back on track following their heavy defeat to Chelsea in the Champions League midweek.
Despite the win, Barca head coach Flick cut an emotional figure as he sat in the dugout on his own, appearing to be close to tears at one stage.
Cadena Cope journalist Helena Condis reported Flick was ‘close to crying’ as a result of feeling ‘worn out and helpless’ after a tough week for the club.
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Barcelona are back in action tonight in a huge game against Atletico Madrid with Flick speaking out on the ‘curious’ image of him on the Barcelona bench and the speculation it has sparked.
The former Bayern Munich boss explained he was disappointed with some aspects of his side’s performance, particularly the amount of times they conceded possession.
Two members of Barcelona’s coaching staff in José Ramón de la Fuente and Marcus Sorg were sent off during the game with Flick revealing Sorg’s dismissal had upset him.
‘I think this match would be a good opportunity to win, against one of the big teams,’ Flick said.
‘It’s curious the image of me that came out after that match. I don’t know who started the comments. I was disappointed because we lost possession a lot, there were two red cards for the bench.
‘When we scored the third goal, Marcus was shown a red card, and I had spoken to him—he’s my friend, the most important person I have here—and I had the conversation on my mind.
‘I wanted to clear my head a bit; I didn’t want to argue. But I’m fine, and ready for whatever the club throws at me. I’m very happy to be here.
‘It’s normal for things to go wrong in a match like that. These matches affect you; you dedicate a lot of energy. But then, I get home and relax.
‘But I wasn’t sad or thinking about other things. We’re not at the same peak level as last year, but we have potential, and we’re working to raise our level.’