Barcelona Coach Flick Focuses on Benfica Clash Amid Champions League Hopes

LISBON, Portugal (Reuters) — Barcelona coach Hansi Flick has downplayed speculation about his team’s chances of winning the UEFA Champions League this season, emphasizing his focus on Tuesday’s crucial match against Benfica. Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Flick praised Benfica’s form while acknowledging the challenges of competing on multiple fronts.

Barcelona currently sits second in the Champions League league phase with 15 points, trailing only Liverpool, who have a perfect 18 points. The top eight teams will automatically qualify for the round of 16, while the next 16 will compete in playoffs. Benfica, currently 15th with 10 points, remains a formidable opponent.

“The future will tell whether we are among the favorites or not,” Flick said. “The Champions League is one of the most difficult competitions to win, but we have to try. When I look at Liverpool, I see a team with incredible power. They are one of my favorite teams in the world right now.”

Despite their strong Champions League performance, Barcelona has struggled in LaLiga, with a four-game winless streak following a 1-1 draw against Getafe on Saturday. The team is third in the league, seven points behind leaders Real Madrid and five behind Atletico Madrid.

Flick, who won the Champions League with Bayern Munich at Benfica’s Estadio da Luz in 2020, expressed optimism about his team’s form. “I have great memories of this stadium,” he said. “If you look at the LaLiga results, we are not doing a good job, but if you look at our games, we are playing very well.”

Barcelona’s lineup for the match is expected to feature Wojciech Szczesny in goal, with Alejandro Balde, Pau Cubarsi, Ronald Araujo, and Jules Kounde in defense. The midfield will likely include Marc Casado and Pedri, with Gavi as the central attacking midfielder. Raphinha and Lamine Yamal will flank Robert Lewandowski up front.

Flick emphasized the importance of securing a win against Benfica to avoid the playoffs. “Our goal is to win against Benfica. It would be a big step for us,” he said. “In the position we’re in, being second, it’s important to secure these points.”

Barcelona’s last Champions League triumph came in 2015, and Flick acknowledged the difficulty of reclaiming the title. “It’s one of our objectives, but it’s a very difficult competition,” he said. “We are in three competitions, and it is clear that for us, it was very important to focus on each game.”