{"id":4639,"date":"2026-09-20T06:39:26","date_gmt":"2026-09-20T06:39:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sportbulletin.top\/?p=4639"},"modified":"2026-09-20T06:39:26","modified_gmt":"2026-09-20T06:39:26","slug":"hansi-flick-talks-raphinha-rodri-and-goalkeeper-surprise-selection-after-barcelona-3-1-sevilla","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportbulletin.top\/?p=4639","title":{"rendered":"Hansi Flick talks Raphinha, Rodri and goalkeeper surprise selection after Barcelona 3-1 Sevilla"},"content":{"rendered":"


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For the first time this season, Barcelona<\/a> were made to work for their 3-1 victory over Sevilla<\/a> in La Liga<\/a><\/em>, but they eventually managed to secure the three points.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Flick mentioned after the game that he was satisfied with how his team responded after an unusually sloppy first half.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Bar\u00e7a<\/em> repeatedly surrendered possession too cheaply before half-time, giving Sevilla opportunities that Flick felt should never have existed.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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After the break, however, the Catalan club rediscovered their control, and Rodri<\/a> did a great job of helping the team out in this regard.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Flick explains Barcelona\u2019s turnaround<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
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As quoted by SPORT<\/a>, Flick had plenty to say about hat-trick hero Raphinha<\/a>, Rodri and an unexpected goalkeeper selection in the form of Dominik Livakovic<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cThe match wasn\u2019t easy, especially in the first half. But I also think we didn\u2019t play at our level in the first half. This isn\u2019t the quality we have in our passing. We lost too many balls too easily, and because of that we always gave them an option and an opportunity to attack,\u201d<\/strong> Flick said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cThe second half was much better. We controlled the game, and then going 2-1 ahead was perfect,\u201d<\/strong> he added.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Hansi Flick started Livakovic over Szczesny against Sevilla<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Asked what he told his players at half-time, Flick stressed that Barcelona had fallen below their own standards.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cIt was a difficult match, especially in the first half, and we also lost the ball too often and too easily. This isn\u2019t our usual level or the standards we set for ourselves. We had to do things much better in the second half, and that\u2019s what happened.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The improvement clearly changed Flick\u2019s experience on the touchline.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cI have to say that, for me, the second half was a really great game from us. We controlled everything, and I was much calmer on the touchline,\u201d<\/strong> he said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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And while Barcelona have made emphatic victories look almost routine recently, Flick was happy to take a more hard-earned result.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cCome on, we played away from home and I\u2019m happy. Last season we lost here 4-1. This season we won 3-1, and I think we can be happy with this result.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Flick delighted with Raphinha<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
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Raphinha was again central to Barcelona\u2019s victory, and Flick admitted his admiration for the Brazilian dates back to before they worked together.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cFor a long time I wasn\u2019t working as a head coach. When I saw Raphinha for the first time, I said, \u2018Wow, what a player.\u2019 I\u2019m not surprised by what he\u2019s doing because he\u2019s a unique player,\u201d<\/strong> Flick said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cJust like Lamine. Lamine is also incredible. But Raphinha has the dynamism, he has everything that fits the way we want to play.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cSo yes, that\u2019s good. Today you could also see that the final pass was always played perfectly. That\u2019s why he can score goals, and I\u2019m very happy about that.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Flick was equally enthusiastic about the news that Raphinha is set to extend his Barcelona contract until 2030.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cI think for the club it\u2019s the best decision. It\u2019s the best decision,\u201d<\/strong> he said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Raphinha and Lamine had yet another good display against Sevilla.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cWhen you also see how connected he is with the fans and with the team, I think he\u2019s a perfect leader for this team and for this club.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cHe gives everything. And especially this season, what he\u2019s doing is incredible.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Raphinha\u2019s use as a No. 9 has become another important feature of Flick\u2019s attack.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cRaphinha gives us a lot, and his dynamism is at the highest level. He\u2019s also good without the ball,\u201d<\/strong> Flick said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cI think after these numbers, after these eight matches, he\u2019s very happy playing as a No.9.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Flick explains Livakovic decision<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
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Flick also addressed his surprise decision to select Dominik Livakovic rather than Wojciech Szczesny<\/a> after hinting that the latter was the second choice just last game.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cAs you know, sometimes it\u2019s not only about analysing everything. Sometimes it\u2019s also about the feeling,\u201d<\/strong> he explained.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cI think my feeling today was like this, so I spoke with the coaches and then we made this decision.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cSo it\u2019s about the feeling. It doesn\u2019t mean that we analysed it and decided that we don\u2019t believe in Szczesny or anything like that. But for me, today, I think this was the right decision.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Flick insisted the selection should not automatically be interpreted as a permanent change in the goalkeeper hierarchy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cHe was good. But in the end, it\u2019s a decision I made, you know. I said that before, of course. Sometimes you see a player and you feel that this player might perhaps be the first option in this position, and you make a different decision. That\u2019s what happened.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cIt\u2019s not such a big thing. This decision is only for this match.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Along the same lines, Flick also made a broader admission about the difficulty of managing Barcelona\u2019s depth.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cIn the end, to be honest with you, for me this is the hardest thing at the moment. I know everyone can be happy because we have enormous quality in the squad. But for me it\u2019s not easy,\u201d <\/strong>Flick said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cWhen I look at the bench and see that Gavi won\u2019t play, Xavi can\u2019t play, Kounde can\u2019t play, Szczesny can\u2019t play, it\u2019s not easy.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cIt\u2019s not easy for me either because I\u2019m close to everyone, I\u2019m with everyone, and still I have to make these decisions. In the end, that\u2019s how it is.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cI\u2019m always thinking about the team. There is nothing personal. It\u2019s about the team. That\u2019s why we made this decision. In the end, yes, that\u2019s my job. But it\u2019s not easy at the moment.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Rodri had a brilliant game against Sevilla. (Photo by Alex Caparros\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Rodri bringing control to Barcelona<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
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Flick finished with strong praise for Rodri, whose ability to dictate the rhythm became particularly valuable once Barcelona took command.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cFor me, he\u2019s a fantastic player. He\u2019s very important for us. I think he controlled everything,\u201d<\/strong> Flick said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cBut when we have the ball, it\u2019s also good sometimes to slow the game down a little bit. That helps give more calmness to our positional play.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cI also think he communicates very well with the others, and also with the two centre-backs.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The most encouraging part of Barcelona\u2019s night was undoubtedly the performance of the former Manchester City midfielder.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Bar\u00e7a<\/em> did not overwhelm Sevilla from the first minute. They corrected themselves, regained control and won a difficult away game.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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This is precisely what they failed to do in the same stadium last year, and Flick would be happy to see his team learn from their mistakes and keep their perfect winning record intact heading into the international break.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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