FLICK'S GREAT PRAISE FOR RAPHINHA AFTER SEVILLA VICTORY

"Raphinha is a one-of-a-kind player. His dynamism and fit into our playstyle are incredible. The best decision for the club is to extend his contract. My Livakovic choice was a gut feeling, it doesn't mean we don't believe in Szczesny. Eight matches, eight wins; a perfect start."

League leader Barcelona solidified its place at the top by leaving the tough Sevilla away game with a clear 3-1 victory in the Spanish La Liga. The Catalan team's German head coach Hansi Flick, who appeared before the cameras at the press conference held after the match, evaluated his team's performance and players. The experienced manager showered Brazilian star Raphinha with praise using the striking expressions above. Pointing out Raphinha's ambition in training and his belonging to the team, Flick stated that the talented player drew an ideal leader profile for the club. The German coach expressed that they could not reach the pass quality they wanted and experienced too many ball losses in the first half of the match, but they managed to protect the score by taking full control of the game in the second half. Answering the questions about assigning Livakovic instead of Szczesny in goal, the successful coach expressed that this decision was based entirely on his gut feelings at that moment rather than a tactical analysis. Stating that the depth in the squad challenged him from time to time, Flick emphasized that it was not easy to keep important players on the bench but he always prioritized the interests of the team. Saying that starting the season with eight wins in eight matches was a flawless picture, Flick added that the latest muscle injury in the team was annoying.

IMAGE: FOOTBALL ESPANA