Hansi Flick has warned of the difficulty awaiting Barcelona at the Mestalla today, Sunday, when they face hosts Valencia in the fourth round of the Spanish league. The head coach pointed to the high temperatures and humidity.
"The weather is very hot, it is difficult to play at four in the afternoon in these conditions," Flick told reporters before kick-off. "Perhaps this is not the best timing, but the decision has been taken, and we have to accept it and play."
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Rodri starts for the first time in a Barcelona shirt, lining up alongside Pedri in midfield. "We have great quality in midfield, and Marc Bernal has delivered wonderful performances in the past matches," the German coach said.
"It is good now for Rodri to start the match, because he needs to improve his physical readiness," he added. "And from what I see of him in training, I can say he is a wonderful player. I want to see how what we are working on will succeed with him alongside Pedri, and what they can produce together in midfield."
Flick expects a tough test. "It will be a difficult match, especially in these conditions, and with this crowd present," he said. "But we want to deliver our usual style. We know the quality of our team, and how we want to play, and we have to show that on the pitch."
Lamine Yamal also starts, though whether he lasts the full 90 minutes remains to be seen. "We will see, he may play 90 minutes or 60 minutes, it depends on how the match goes, but he is certainly ready," Flick said.
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