Flick fumes at LaLiga schedule after Olmo injured in Barca´s clash with Osasuna

Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick was fuming with the schedule after Dani Olmo was injured during their 3-0 victory over Osasuna on Thursday.

The match had been rearranged after it was postponed earlier in March following the death of Barcelona first-team doctor Carles Minarro, though both teams are slated to play again on Sunday.

Flick’s side cruised to three points to go three points clear at the top of the table, with Olmo among the scorers before he suffered an injury.

LaLiga’s decision to schedule the game on Thursday was appealed by both teams, but that appeal was dismissed.

“Today we made the best of the situation we have,” Flick said in the post-game news conference.

“It’s not the right date for playing this match. After the international break, it was not good. We have three points more, but we paid a really high price for the injury of Dani, it’s not good.

“We don’t know how long he will be out. If it’s two weeks it means a lot of matches. Or three weeks more matches. It’s not a good situation. The price was very high for the three points.”

Barcelona had to play the match without Raphinha, who played for Brazil against Argentina on Tuesday, while Ronald Araujo made the bench after returning from Uruguay duty late on Wednesday.

The match itself, meanwhile, was the first of seven that the league leaders will play in the space of 20 days and Flick thinks that the bloated calendar is ruining the spectacle of the sport.

75% – Hans-Dieter Flick has won 33 of his 44 games for @FCBarcelona in all competitions, equalling Tito Vilanova (75%). Of the managers with 10+ Barcelona’s games, only Luis Enrique (76.24%) has a better percentage than the German. Star#Barcelona #barcelonaosasuna pic.twitter.com/uM7hb697Fy

— OptaJose (@OptaJose) March 27, 2025

“I think you have to listen to the players. This is the important thing. And also to the coaches. In summer there is the Club World Cup. It’s tough. The Nations League, international breaks,” he said.

“I don’t think it’s a good thing this World Cup, in my opinion. OK, you can earn a lot of money, but for the players it’s not good. We have to stop and think about the players.

“Fans want every player to give 100%, to see a spectacle… and when it goes on this way, I think it’s not at this level. We cannot play on this level. Not only us, but also the other teams who will play the World Cup.”

But when asked about the performance itself, Flick did acknowledge that he was pleased with his players and that the team were in a great position for the challenge ahead.

“We are going through a great moment and I proud of the team, the way they are facing every game with the same commitment,” he told reporters.

“There are 10 games to go and we are three points clear on top so that’s good and we have to keep going with the same attitude.

“The situation was not easy, having to play today was not ideal and it cost us as Olmo got injured. It made the win have a bitter taste.”

75% – Hans-Dieter Flick