Flick "Warned" Against Too Much Spectacle: "Couldn't Believe the Fourth Goal"

The Spanish press and neutral fans were thrilled. The coaches, understandably, were not. Hansi Flick expressed his disappointment after the dramatic first-leg draw against Atlético Madrid, saying he was "disappointed with the result."

Barcelona’s Defensive Collapse in the Final Minutes

Barcelona had turned a 0-2 deficit into a 4-2 lead, only to throw it away in the final minutes. "I warned the team about allowing chances," Flick lamented. "In the last few minutes, we conceded too many goals."

Marcos Llorente pulled one back for Atlético in the 84th minute to make it 3-4 before Alexander Sørloth equalized in the third minute of stoppage time. "I couldn't believe the fourth goal—we need to talk about that," Flick said about the last goal of the match, which resulted from a mistake by Jules Koundé, who slipped at a crucial moment.

"The Reaction is the Most Positive Thing"

Overall, Barcelona must "discuss the goals we conceded. We need to correct our mistakes. The team is very young, and there is still a lot of room for improvement."

However, Flick was pleased with his team's comeback and attacking qualities. "The most important thing is that the team has confidence," the former Germany coach said. "We have to stay positive. The reaction is the most positive thing."

Special Praise for Cubarsí: "Like He Has Played 350 La Liga Matches"

Flick singled out four players—left-back Balde, center-back Pau Cubarsí, winger Lamine Yamal, and captain Frenkie de Jong—as performing at their best level. He was especially impressed with Cubarsí, who scored his first professional goal.

"He's 18 years old and played like a veteran. As if he had already played 350 La Liga matches," Flick praised. "And the way he defended—he always offers something to the team. He is a very important player." Barcelona will need Cubarsí to shine again in the second leg, which is over a month away on April 2 in Madrid.

Flick’s Subtle Criticism of the Team

Flick also took a slight jab at his players' training habits. "If you train well, you show it in the game. If you train at 70%, you won't defend at 100%," he remarked. "The quality of training sessions is very good. I'm happy with a lot of things. I'm 95% satisfied—but conceding four goals is too much," the 60-year-old emphasized.

Barcelona's defensive resilience will be tested again on Sunday (4:15 PM CET, live on kicker) when they host Real Sociedad, another Copa del Rey semifinalist.