Hans Flick (60), FC Barcelona's coach, shared his thoughts on meeting Nico Kovac (54), the coach.
FC Barcelona will face Borussia Dortmund in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals for the 2024-2025 season on the 10th at 4 a.m. (Korean time) at Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys in Barcelona, Spain.
Barcelona advanced to the quarterfinals after defeating SL Benfica in the round of 16. They won the first leg away match on March 6 by 1-0 and followed up with a 3-1 victory at home in the second leg. Dortmund reached the quarterfinals after a 1-1 draw in the first leg against LOSC Lille and a 2-1 victory in the return leg.
Ahead of the match, FC Barcelona's Hans Flick held an official press conference. The UEFA Champions League shared the information through its official channels.
According to reports, Flick noted, "Dortmund is a very stable team and plays very aggressive football."
He added, "We have also shown good performance in the Champions League, both at home and away. The journey to get here has not been easy, and it has been possible thanks to everyone's hard work."
Flick stated, "Dortmund is a very great team. Nico Kovac will be able to put together a good lineup. It's a defensively strong team, and I hope for good fortune for the injured players."
Flick and Kovac of Dortmund have a close relationship. In 2019, Flick joined the staff of then-Bayern Munich coach Nico Kovac as an assistant coach. In November of that year, Kovac left the Bayern helm due to poor performance, and Flick took over as interim manager. Flick achieved a treble that season.
Flick added, "This is a team with many very good players, and while it's unfortunate about (Nico Schlotterbeck's) injury, there are enough players to fill that gap."
Midfielder Gavi, who also attended the press conference, said, "This is my first quarterfinal in the Champions League. I want to participate in the match and, above all, I desperately want the team to win."
He continued, "I'm trying to grow a little every day, and Coach Flick has been very helpful. I'm continuously learning to become a more complete player, and my relationship with the coach is very good. The coach believes in me, so I can approach it with peace of mind."
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