Flick: Raphinha is a Leader, Superb as a 'Number Nine'

Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick commented on his team's 3-1 victory away at Sevilla in La Liga's seventh round. Brazilian star Raphinha netted a hat-trick in the match, earning special praise from Flick.

"It's fantastic, I'm very happy that we managed to win. I'm not surprised by what Raphinha is doing," the German tactician stated.

When asked why he chose Dominik Livaković as goalkeeper, he responded: "Sometimes you shouldn't just analyze everything, but also trust your gut feeling. That's how I felt, and we made that decision. This isn't about a lack of faith in Szczęsny. We simply decided that Livaković could be the better option."

"This isn't a permanent decision, but a choice for today's match. For me, the situation is difficult. The fact that he isn't playing, that Gavi isn't playing... It's tough for me, but I have to think about the team. There's nothing personal against the players," Flick added.

Regarding the injured Andreas Christensen's condition, the Barça coach said: "I think he'll be out for a few weeks. It's a muscle injury, but we need to await the results of the examinations."

On Raphinha's new contract, the coach was emphatic: "For the club, this is the best decision. When you see how he interacts with the fans, with the team... He's a leader, he gives his all. Together with the coaching staff, we decided to put him in the 'number nine' position. I think he's happy with that now. What he's shown this season is simply magnificent. And the second half today was incredible."

Flick also praised Rodri's performance: "Rodri is a magnificent player, both with and without the ball. He controls everything, bringing calmness to our positional play. He interacts well with Pedri and the central defenders. Overall, I think we can be satisfied with what we've achieved."