Flick keeps faith and responds irritably to Barça's 'weak spot'

Flick defends Barcelona's defensive setup after losses to PSG and Real Madrid, citing injury absences and backing his squad ahead of Aston Villa.

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick remained confident in his team's direction on Monday despite back-to-back defeats to Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid, though a weekend win over Alavés provided some relief. Speaking at a press conference, Flick acknowledged that doubts were natural after two losses but insisted his side possessed the quality to achieve their objectives.

"The results are different, but we are at the same level," Flick said. "The most important thing is the next match: first Aston Villa, then Atlético Madrid. We have the quality to reach our goals. That's how football works."

When pressed on whether defence was Barcelona's biggest weakness, Flick responded with irritation, pointing to injury problems in his backline. He noted that with only four fit defenders available, the situation was difficult, but expressed optimism about the return of injured players like Frenkie de Jong and Brian Fariñaz, who he said could help stabilise the position. Barcelona face Aston Villa in the Champions League on Tuesday.