Flick insists Barcelona have moved on from Champions League heartbreak ahead of crucial Clasico

Barcelona have moved on from the disappointment of their Champions League semi-final defeat to Inter Milan, with Hansi Flick insisting they are fully focused on the task of clinching LaLiga glory ahead of Sunday’s Clasico with Real Madrid.

Flick’s side were on the wrong end of a classic as Inter claimed a 4-3 win at San Siro after extra time to progress to the final 7-6 on aggregate. Barca had recovered from a 2-0 deficit for the second time in the tie to lead 3-2 on the night in stoppage time, only for a 93rd-minute Francesco Acerbi equaliser and Davide Frattesi’s winner in the seventh minute of extra time to send the Nerazzurri through.

The result denied Barcelona a treble and left Flick and his players with little time to recover from an emotionally draining night as they welcome their arch rivals to the Olympic Stadium in a crucial game in the title race.

Barca are four points ahead of Madrid at the top of LaLiga with four games remaining and will be all but certain of clinching the title with a victory.

And Flick said of his side’s mindset ahead of the visit of Los Blancos: “We’re doing well, after the defeat in Milan everyone knows it’s not easy, but we’re doing things well. We have talked about what we want to do in these two weeks.

“We have four games and a Clasico to show how well we can play. We need to show that confidence about what we want to display.

“We have spoken to the players to find out their feelings, we do it openly. In a game like the Clasico, we have to be at 100 percent, active, with intensity, dominant.

🎙️ HANSI FLICK: “After the defeat in Milan…it was not easy. But I think we are doing great…four more matches to go.” #ElClásico pic.twitter.com/L3EvjhdD74

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) May 10, 2025

“They are a fantastic team, but we are playing at home. At every moment of the game, the fans know what we need.”

Flick confirmed that left-back Alejandro Balde is fit enough to be in the squad having recovered from a hamstring injury.

However, neither Balde nor Robert Lewandowski, who came off the bench against Inter, will be involved from the start.

With right-back Jules Kounde still out through injury, Eric Garcia will likely play on the right side of defence, with Gerard Martin set to continue on the left.

“We can see that both players are very professional and have improved a lot since the start of the season,” Flick said of Garcia and Martin.

“I’m not surprised. When you see Gerard playing in a Champions League semi-final. He played a fantastic game.

“We miss Balde, he has been at a great level. It’s good news to have him back.”

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