With a fiery Catalan derby against Espanyol on the immediate horizon and a season-defining Champions League clash with Atletico Madrid looming, Barcelona manager Hansi Flick held court in a revealing press conference, tackling everything from squad fitness to officiating frustrations.

Flick immediately set the tone for the local showdown, emphasizing that a match against Espanyol transcends the typical league fixture. "It’s important, and everyone knows how important it is for the club and the fans," he stated, highlighting the deep-rooted passion of the rivalry. "We have a lot of players who came through the academy and know what Espanyol are all about. I want to win the match."

With the critical European return leg just days later, questions about squad rotation were inevitable. The German tactician, however, pivoted to praise his team's depth and collective spirit. "We’ll see. Of course, we have to look after the players and manage their minutes, as always," Flick noted. "We have a lot of quality in this team and whoever plays tomorrow will do a fantastic job," a statement that will reassure fans about the squad's readiness for this demanding double-header.

The conversation then turned to the contentious refereeing from the first leg against Atletico Madrid, a topic that has dominated headlines. Barcelona's formal complaint received the manager's full backing. "I don’t know if it will achieve anything, or what the response will be. For me and the team, it’s perfect," Flick said. "The club supports us; it was unfair and everyone thinks so. You can make one mistake, but not two."

He specifically addressed the role of VAR, expressing clear disappointment in its application during that crucial match. "VAR is there so that if they see something that isn’t right, they can alert the referee and correct it. That’s what I felt was missing," Flick explained, while also holding his team accountable. "It’s also true that we didn’t play our best game and we made mistakes. But for us, it’s not good, and mistakes like that endanger the integrity of the competition."