Madrid, August 27: Barcelona’s head coach Hansi Flick refrained from commenting on the potential signing of Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez during a media interaction ahead of the La Liga clash against Athletic Club on Wednesday. Flick chose to focus on the upcoming match rather than engage in transfer speculation.
During the match against Villarreal, some Atletico fans booed Alvarez, reflecting the uncertainty surrounding his future. Atletico has firmly stated that they will not sell the Argentine player, who is still looking to strengthen their attack.
When asked about the striker, Flick said, “I don’t want to talk about Julian; I want to discuss the situation of this club. We have signed some very good players. I trust the team, and we need to organize things and find solutions for some matches, but our quality is very good.”
According to a report by Xinhua, Flick was also asked about left-back Alejandro Balde, who was left out of the team over the weekend as the coach noted he wasn’t fully focused on playing.
Flick stated, “He is part of the team, but whether he plays or not will be decided tomorrow. It is essential that he is committed to us. He is very young; he has a lot of potential, he has improved, but he can do even better. He has love for Barcelona in his heart.”
Flick also addressed Lamin Yamal, who was not in top form during the match against Elche and appeared unhappy after being substituted in the second half. Flick mentioned, “He had a slight issue, a headache; it makes sense.”
The coach explained that the 19-year-old’s pre-season has not been typical since the World Cup. He noted, “Lamin had three weeks off and has only trained for a few days. It is normal that he is not at his peak. We need to find a solution so he can return to his best form. We will see how he progresses, but we need him because he is extraordinary.”
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