“Attitude Won It for Us” Flick Defends Barcelona Grit After Copa Scare
Barcelona’s Copa del Rey campaign survived an awkward test on Tuesday night, with late goals rescuing a 2-0 win over third-tier Guadalajara after an evening that began in confusion and ended in relief. Head coach Hansi Flick pointed to mentality rather than quality as the decisive factor in a tie that proved far less routine than the scoreline suggests.
The round of 32 clash was delayed by more than 30 minutes after local authorities initially blocked fan access to a newly constructed temporary grandstand at the Pedro Escartín stadium. Long queues formed outside as police negotiated entry, eventually allowing supporters in and pushing kickoff back under the Madrid night sky.
Once play finally began, Barcelona dominated possession as expected but quickly discovered that control did not equal comfort. Guadalajara, buoyed by the occasion and backed by a crowd swollen to roughly 8,000 after the stadium expansion, defended deep and with discipline, forcing the visitors into speculative efforts and rushed decisions.
Flick was satisfied with the response, if not always the execution. “I was happy with the attitude we showed today,” he told reporters after the match. “When you play these Copa games, it’s not easy because they defend really well. At the end, the most important thing is the mentality we showed on the pitch.”
The German coach’s team selection added an extra layer of intrigue. Marc-André ter Stegen was handed his first start of the season after recovering from injury, with Joan García rested despite Flick confirming earlier in the week that García is currently his first-choice goalkeeper. Flick was keen to stress that the decision was isolated to this match.
“For me, Marc is the captain,” Flick said. “He’s been at the club around 12 years and he’s back now. We wanted to give him the opportunity to show that he’s back. This was for this game. Nothing else.”
Ter Stegen was called into action almost immediately, scrambling back to his line to stop a speculative effort from near the halfway line that briefly threatened to embarrass Barcelona. Guadalajara’s willingness to shoot early reflected their approach: take risks, disrupt rhythm, and hope frustration creeps in.
Barcelona tried to respond in kind. Eric García attempted a long-range strike that nearly caught Guadalajara goalkeeper Dani Vicente out, while Andreas Christensen tested him with a driven effort from distance. Marcus Rashford also went close from a free kick after Lamine Yamal was fouled on the edge of the area, but Vicente remained sharp.
After the break, the pressure intensified. Rashford was twice denied at close range, first firing straight at Vicente and then seeing a point-blank effort smothered by the keeper’s outstretched legs. The longer the deadlock remained, the more the atmosphere shifted from festive to defiant.
The breakthrough finally arrived in the 76th minute. A corner was only partially cleared, Frenkie de Jong recycled possession calmly, and his curling cross found Christensen unmarked. The Danish defender powered his header past Vicente, a reward for Barcelona’s persistence rather than fluency.
Guadalajara’s resistance faded after that. Rashford sealed the tie late on, racing onto Yamal’s perfectly weighted through-ball, rounding the goalkeeper and rolling the ball into an empty net. It was a composed finish that underlined why Barcelona pushed to bring him into the squad, even on a night when chances were at a premium.
The result sends Barcelona into the next round, but the performance raises familiar questions. How much rotation is too much in knockout football? Can Barcelona consistently break down compact, motivated opponents without relying on moments of individual quality? And where does Ter Stegen fit as the season intensifies?
For Flick, the immediate takeaway was simpler. Barcelona advanced, avoided embarrassment, and showed the resilience required in Copa del Rey football. As the competition narrows and the margins shrink, that attitude may prove just as valuable as any tactical blueprint.