Hansi Flick promises different Barcelona as Marc-Andre ter Stegen speaks of ‘good warning’ after Monaco loss

Barcelona wrapped up their preseason in concerning fashion with a 3-0 defeat to AS Monaco in the Joan Gamper trophy, with the fans getting their first look at Hansi Flick’s side up close.

Things did not go well as Barcelona were whistled by the fans, while Ilkay Gundogan and Robert Lewandowski came off with muscle discomfort for the latter, and a head injury for the former. The mood around the club had been positive following draws against AC Milan and Manchester City and a victory over Real Madrid, but the Blaugrana were brought down to earth with a bump.

“I know what this team can do. It wasn’t our game, we haven’t been good, but in Valencia we will do it differently. I’m sure we will have a different performance. The time to lose is now. Better than during the season,” Flick remarked in English.

Barcelona had not lost a Joan Gamper Trophy game by a difference of at least three goals and without scoring since 1981, against Köln. @OptaJose

— barcacentre (@barcacentre) August 12, 2024

“When you lose 0-3 it’s not easy for the fans, but the atmosphere in Montjuic has been fantastic. When we play fast, the public’s reaction is perfect, so we have to provoke that emotion from the pitch.”

Valencia await Barcelona at Mestalla on Saturday night, in what will no doubt be a raucous atmosphere and a rough introduction to the season.

“We had the opportunity to go ahead on the scoreboard and then the game would have been different. During the first half we did not play as fast as we would have liked. The speed and passing have not been as good as in previous games, we lost a lot of balls there. We did not control the match and that has allowed Monaco to improve. In the second half we were better, but a mistake scored us 0-1 and ended up triggering this huge result,” he told Sport.

“We can play much better. We have five days to prepare for the game against Valencia, to improve the pressure and our game. I’m sure we’ll do better on Saturday.”

Meanwhile new captain Marc-Andre ter Stegen said it was a warning for them ahead of their first Liga clash, and noted that they were not at the required level.

“Let’s hope it’s an accident. At some points we were not accurate and today’s game against a team that is ready to compete and has a very good team required something else. The details decide games and it’s nothing different in a friendly than in La Liga or a Champions League match. It is a good warning and we hope that in a few days we will be better.”

Las valoraciones de Flick y Ter Stegen después del Gamper pic.twitter.com/nRjs6na4B4

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona_es) August 12, 2024

“We have to analyse the game, there are things to improve and I am sure we will. We did not have the result we wanted. We have to analyse but we have days to do so and I am sure that on Saturday we will do better.”

He also spoke about his opening speech as captain, where some criticised him for not adding ‘Visca Catalunya [Long live Catalonia]’ to the end of it, as has been custom for Barcelona captains.

“It’s very special to be captain, and because of the stadium and the people, I wanted to find the right words, I don’t know if they were, but I hope the tone was right and that the people are with us all year because we have a lot of good things ahead,” he said to MD.

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