Flick surprises Barcelona star after victory in Catalonia derby, Laporta asks Flick to do the same

Barcelona defeated their local rivals Espanyol 3-1 in the Catalan derby on Sunday evening, part of the 12th round of La Liga.

With this win, Barcelona now sits nine points clear at the top of the table with 33 points, taking advantage of the postponed match between Real Madrid and Valencia. Espanyol remains in 17th place with just 10 points.

German coach Hansi Flick expressed his happiness with the victory, which widened their lead over Real Madrid. He also praised young midfielder Marc Casado for his impressive performances this season, stating he struggled to find words to describe Casado’s impact on the team.

Flick surprised standout player Dani Olmo after the match, telling him he deserves to be a starter and should not be on the bench at this level. Despite returning from injury, Olmo has consistently scored or assisted in every game, making him indispensable when healthy.

However, Flick expressed frustration with Alejandro Balde, criticizing his poor performances and urging him to focus and improve toavoid jeopardizing the season.

In a surprising move, club president Joan Laporta visited the locker room after the match to speak with Flick, encouraging him to give Ansu Fati more playing time as he believes Fati can still be a valuable asset if he regains his form.

Laporta continues to believe in Ansu Fati, urging Flick to grant him the time needed to regain his form, as he could become a valuable asset for Barcelona if he returns to his previous level. Additionally, Laporta congratulated Dani Olmo for his impressive performances, encouraging him to keep up the momentum in upcoming matches to help Barcelona reclaim their position at the top.