Hansi Flick stands by system despite Barcelona's 4-1 loss

Hansi Flick attributed Barcelona's 4-1 loss to Sevilla in La Liga on Sunday to "serious mistakes" rather than his system.

Barcelona fell behind 1-0 in the 13th minute after Alexis Sanchez scored a penalty following a foul by Ronald Araujo on Isaac Romero. Romero then scored Sevilla's second goal, with Marcus Rashford pulling one back for Barcelona just before halftime. Despite a missed penalty by Robert Lewandowski in the 76th minute, Sevilla scored twice late through Jose Angel Carmona and Akor Adams.

Flick emphasized the need to learn from the defeat and focus on the team's reaction in his post-game conference. He expressed confidence in the team's ability to bounce back and compete for various titles, including the Champions League and La Liga.

Barcelona's loss to Sevilla marked their second consecutive defeat under Flick's management since he took charge in the summer of 2024. Rashford, who ended the match with some physical discomfort, is reported to have only suffered a knock with no need for further tests.

After the international break, Barcelona will face Girona and Olympiacos at home before the first Clasico of the season against Real Madrid on October 26. They currently trail Madrid by two points in La Liga standings.

The defeat against Sevilla highlighted Barcelona's struggles in various aspects of the game, with Flick acknowledging the team's shortcomings. Sevilla, motivated by their coach Matias Almeyda, capitalized on Barcelona's vulnerabilities and secured a convincing victory.

Laia Cervelló, a football writer at The Athletic, previously covered FC Barcelona for Diario Sport and worked for BeIN SPORTS Spain and GOLTV. Cervelló began her journalism career at 'betevé', a public television station in Barcelona.