Atletico Madrid delivered a resounding win over FC Barcelona in the first leg of their Copa Del Rey (Spanish Cup) semifinals but Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick believes his team can turn the deficit around.
He said this after Barcelona lost 4-0 at Atletico Madrid’s Metropolitano Stadium to be on the verge of getting eliminated from the competition.
An Eric Garcia own goal in the sixth minute off a big mistake from goalkeeper Joan Garcia put Atletico ahead before forwards Antoine Griezmann, Ademola Lookman and Julian Alvarez got on the score sheet in the big win.
Speaking after the game, Flick pointed to his team’s second half performance as reason to believe that they can win in the second leg on March 3 to qualify to the finals.
“We didn’t play well as a team in the first half.”
Hansi Flick, head coach of FC Barcelona, attends his press conference during the training day of FC Barcelona (Photo By Javier Borrego/Europa Press via Getty Images)
“We didn’t press as we wanted and I would have liked to have seen the hunger that Atlético showed. In the second half we were better.”
Julian Alvarez of Atletico de Madrid celebrates scoring his team’s fourth goal with teammate Ademola Lookman during the Copa Del Rey Semi-Final First Leg match between Atletico de Madrid and FC Barcelona (Photo by Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images)
“I am proud of my team. It’s clear I am not happy with the first 45 minutes but I am proud of the season we are putting in. We will pick ourselves up and come back. We have a chance of turning it around. We can win each half 2-0” Flick said according to the club’s media.
Ademola Lookman of Atletico de Madrid competes for the ball with Fermin Lopez of FC Barcelona during the Copa del Rey semi-final first leg match between Atletico de Madrid and FC Barcelona (Photo by Alvaro Medranda/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
