BARCELONA: Barcelona coach Hansi Flick called on his players on Saturday to show more fight while the club battles an injury crisis and struggles to reach their top level.
The Catalan giants drew 3-3 at Club Brugge on Wednesday in the Champions League and are five points behind La Liga leaders Real Madrid before facing Celta Vigo on Sunday.
After winning a domestic treble last season Barca have struggled for consistency in Flick’s second term as they try to cope with several absences.
They will be without Raphinha, Pedri, Joan Garcia and Gavi among others at Balaidos, while Flick said Jules Kounde was also a doubt for the game.
“It’s not an excuse, it’s a fact — we have a lot of injured players. They are huge players, some of our key players,” Flick told a news conference.
“I know, we all know, the players know we have to play much better. The important thing is that everyone (gets) back, after two or three matches, they are on a good level and can help us a lot. This is maybe a starting point again.
“Until then, and the match tomorrow is like that, we have to fight. On Wednesday we couldn’t see this fight, that we need. Hopefully tomorrow we will see it.”
Celta Vigo have won their last five games across all competitions and are in a “good mood,” according to Flick.
Barcelona star Lamine Yamal was back to his best against Brugge and the coach said he had stepped up his work to recover from a niggling groin issue.
“He changed his discipline, it’s much better now, he’s really training good,” said Flick.
The 18-year-old has been called up by Spain for upcoming World Cup qualifiers and the coach asked his national team counterpart Luis de la Fuente to take care of Yamal.
In September Yamal aggravated his groin problem while with Spain and he was released from the squad for matches in October because of the same problem.
“He comes back to the best level but it’s not over, we have to take care about this injury, not only us but also the national team,” added Flick.
Flick demands more Barca ‘fight’ amid injury crisis
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Flick demands more Barca ‘fight’ amid injury crisis
- “It’s not an excuse, it’s a fact — we have a lot of injured players. They are huge players, some of our key players,” Flick said
- “I know, we all know, the players know we have to play much better”
Desert Vipers hold nerve to edge Abu Dhabi Knight Riders in ILT20 thriller
- Key contributions from Shimron Hetmyer and Khuzaima Tanveer prove decisive as the Vipers weather tense finish to overhaul target of 171
- Knight Riders start well, reaching 87 in 10 overs, but momentum shifts in second half of their inning as the Vipers’ spinners struck back
SHARJAH: Desert Vipers made it two wins out of two in the DP World International League T20, as they held their nerve to secure a dramatic two-wicket victory over Abu Dhabi Knight Riders at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Friday.
Shimron Hetmyer’s counterattacking 48 off 25 balls, and a late-order cameo from Khuzaima Tanveer, who hit 31 off just 12 deliveries, proved decisive as the Vipers weathered a tense finish to overhaul a target of 171.
Sent in to bat, the Knight Riders made a confident start through Phil Salt and Alex Hales, with the latter anchoring the inning to top-score with 53 off 37 balls.
Despite reaching 87 in 10 overs, however, the momentum shifted in the second half of the inning as the Vipers’ spinners began to strike regularly. Qais Ahmad and Noor Ahmad led the middle-overs fightback, dismissing Hales and triggering a collapse as the Knight Riders lost five wickets.
Andre Russell’s unbeaten 36, and useful contributions from Alishan Sharafu and Unmukt Chand, at least helped Abu Dhabi reach a competitive total, but they were unable to fully capitalize on the side’s strong opening.
The Vipers began explosively in reply, smashing a tournament-record 19 runs from the first over. However, early wickets then left them wobbling on 44/3. Sam Curran and Dan Lawrence rebuilt the attack before the latter combined with Hetmyer for a crucial 68-run stand that swung the contest back in the their favor.
Late strikes from Ajay Kumar and Russell, the latter dismissing Hetmyer for his 500th T20 wicket, set up a tense finish, but Tanveer delivered under pressure. Needing eight runs off the final over, he sealed victory with a six and a boundary.
“It was, in many ways, a fortunate escape but an outstanding result for us,” said Curran, the Vipers’ stand-in captain.
“ADKR possess a very powerful batting lineup, and I believe our bowlers performed exceptionally well throughout the innings. The dismissals of Hetmyer and Dan introduced an unexpected twist but the team showed commendable composure in the crucial moments.”
Knight Riders’ stand-in skipper Sunil Narine felt his side had been lacking with the bat: “We were 15-20 runs short. We began well in the powerplay and that phase was crucial for us.
“The conditions eventually worked in their favor and the dew made it challenging for our spinners. But at the end of the day that’s part of the game.”
The result leaves the Vipers well placed at this early stage of the tournament, while the Knight Riders were left to reflect on missed opportunities after such a strong start.
