Barcelona won 4-1 against the Yellow Submarine and face Diego Simeone’s side on Tuesday
Hansi Flick has said Barcelona needed the confidence from their emphatic win over Villareal as they prepare to face Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey with a four-goal deficit.
On Saturday, Barcelona defeated the in-form Yellow Submarine, who are third in the league, 4-1 to push four points ahead at the summit of La Liga, with Real Madrid yet to play.
“We needed the confidence,” Flick said. “I’m happy with the result and the performance, although we could have scored a few more goals.
“Everyone played well. Playing with the ball was important. Also, the finishing touch that we lacked in matches like the one against Real Sociedad.”
Barcelona had a more solid defensive game and gave little away to Villareal. In comparison to many matches in the past few weeks when they have been shaky at the back.
“When you lose possession, winning it back is crucial,” Flick said. “Otherwise, you’ll suffer. And that’s what we wanted to see. We’ve taken a step forward in that area as well.
“We’ve had dynamism and intensity in our duels. And that’s what we need. For everyone to reach that level.”
Midfielder Pedri started on the bench after only returning from his hamstring injury, but Flick brought him on just before hour as Barcelona battled with a single goal lead.
“Pedri is a special case,” said Flick. “For us, he’s an important player because he gives us structure and controls the ball. Yes, we’re thinking he could start on Tuesday [against Atletico]. We’ll see.”
Regarding that game, where Barcelona will be tasked with overturning a 4-0 deficit at Camp Nou against one of the most defensively stubborn teams in Europe, Flick said: “It won’t be easy, we know that, but we’ll give everything.
“We have to fight together for 90 minutes, or maybe even more. Anything is possible. We’ll try and see what happens.”
