FC Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick has expressed disappointment after his team’s 2-1 victory over Rayo Vallecano on Tuesday, describing the win as “sad” due to a significant injury sustained by one of his players, Soccernet.football reports.
The Catalans managed to secure their third consecutive La Liga win of the 2024/2025 season, coming from behind thanks to second-half goals from Pedri and debutant Dani Olmo.
Despite the success, Flick’s post-match mood was far from celebratory. Flick was seen consoling a previously unknown 17-year-old player, Marc Bernal, at full time.
Bernal, who has been a key starter for Barcelona in all three of their matches this season, suffered a serious knee injury during the game.
The injury was later reported by SPORT’s Toni Juanmarti as a possible cruciate ligament tear, a diagnosis that would sideline the young pivot for an extended period.
Speaking to DAZNEspana, Flick confirmed the severity of the injury, saying, “The victory is a sad victory because Marc Bernal is injured and it is not looking very good. We will know tomorrow after the tests.”
In a slight relief for Barcelona fans, Flick also provided an update on Pedri, who was substituted near the end of the match after suffering a hard blow. The coach reassured supporters, stating, “I think he’s fine,” and downplaying any serious concerns.
Reflecting on the match, Flick admitted that Barcelona struggled in the early stages.
“The first few minutes of the game were not as we wanted. We were not able to press, and we were not good with the ball. In the second half, we were much better. I think the three points are fair,” he added.
Flick’s Barcelona has made an impressive start to the season, with the German becoming the first manager since Ernesto Valverde in 2018/2019 to win the opening three matches.
Notably, the victory against Rayo marked Barcelona’s first win in Vallecas in four attempts.