Now with a place in the final of the Copa del Rey booked, La Liga returns into focus for Barça in the form of a testing home game against in form Real Betis. “It will be a tough game and we will have to be our best,” said blaugrana boss Hansi Flick in his pre-game press conference on Friday. The blaugranes are on a run of nine straight wins in the league but Betis are not far behind with a run of six consecutive wins themselves. 

Hansi Flick remarked on the work of his opposite number in the clash, Manuel Pellegrini. “He has a lot of experience and he gets the best out of his players. If you see how Antony is playing now and how he was at Manchester United, you can see the coach’s hand,” continued the Barça coach. 

Gavi available 

The game comes just 72 hours after Barça’s win in the Metropolitano in the Copa del Rey semi-final against Atlético Madrid and just before the first leg of the Champions League clash with Borussia Dortmund. Fitness will be key after almost nine months of competition according to Flick: “We have to manage our players’ efforts. We need each player and we will need fresh legs against Betis.” 

On midfielder Gavi, the boss revealed “he is fine and he can play” after the youngster sat out the game in midweek against Atlético. 

Faith in his team 

For Flick his side’s current form is thanks to the commitment of the whole squad. “I have the feeling the team believes in itself. Also those on the subs’ bench. Everybody. We believe in ourselves and now we have to show that on the field. We are battling for everything,” he concluded.