Hansi Flick's message to the Barcelona locker room after 2-1 loss to ...

After a flying start, FC Barcelona faced their first defeat of the 2024/25 campaign last night when they were beaten 2-1 by AS Monaco in their UEFA Champions League opener.

A red card to Eric Garcia very early changed the entire complexion of the match as Barça had to play for 80 minutes with ten men.

Even though Lamine Yamal scored his first Champions League goal on the night, it was not enough to salvage anything for Barça at Stade Louis II.

Hansi Flick’s calm message to the Barcelona players

Usually, a loss sparks a lot of nerves at Barcelona, both on and off the pitch. But new manager Hansi Flick has brought a sense of calmness and pragmatism with him this season, reports SPORT.

As per the report, in his address to the players after the match, Flick maintained a completely composed demeanour, aiming to reassure them.

His talk was brief, straightforward, and aligned with his later comments at the press conference. He told the team that this match should not be taken as a reference point due to Garcia’s expulsion, which changed everything.

Flick expressed satisfaction with the attitude and character shown by the Barcelona players throughout the match, despite some isolated mistakes.

The German tactician also appreciated how the team endured together and is convinced that this experience will help them not only to rectify errors but also to strengthen as a unit.

As he later reiterated in the post-match talk and communicated to the squad: “There are seven more matches in the Champions League, and I am confident that if we continue like this, we will win many of them.”

Up next for Barcelona is a La Liga encounter against Villarreal, and Flick will hope that his team bounces back strongly to secure their sixth consecutive win in the league.