‘I wasn’t happy with the first half’ – Hansi Flick reacts to Barcelona’s win over Real Mallorca

Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick delivered a candid assessment of his side’s 3-0 victory over Real Mallorca, praising the result while lamenting a subdued opening 45 minutes at Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys. First-half goals from Robert Lewandowski and Lamine Yamal set the platform before 17-year-old midfielder Marc Bernal capped the scoring after the restart, sealing a clean sheet that keeps the Catalans firmly on course in La Liga.

Speaking to the media after the final whistle, Flick did not hide his frustration with the tempo of the opening period. “I’m not happy with the first half. In the first half we played too slowly and not with the right dynamism. I wasn’t happy,” he said. “In the second half it was much better and in the end we have three more points, three goals for and none against. Overall it has been a positive day.”

The German tactician revealed he confronted his players during the interval, asking whether they were satisfied with their initial performance. “They said no. It was a very clear answer,” he continued. “We showed them where they needed to improve: positioning and passing speed. It’s not how we want to play, but we have a lot of games and sometimes it happens.”

Flick’s halftime adjustments paid dividends as Barcelona emerged with renewed intensity, pinning Mallorca deep and adding a third through Bernal, who marked his return from a serious injury by netting his first senior goal for the club. The strike sparked jubilant scenes on the bench, underlining the squad’s appreciation for the teenager’s resilience.

“For him it’s great to score his first goal for Barça after such a serious injury,” Flick said. “He has come back step by step and today has been a great day. You’ve seen the reaction of the bench and how we celebrated his goal. It was fantastic and it’s another step towards his best level.”

The victory sets up a pivotal week for Barcelona, who host Atlético Madrid in the Copa del Rey before travelling to Girona in the league. Flick challenged his players to carry the momentum of their improved second-half display into Thursday’s cup clash. “I hope that on Thursday against Atlético we will see another team from the first minute,” he added.

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