Pau Víctor, the Sporting Braga forward and former Barcelona player, has lifted the lid on the brutal physical intensity Hansi Flick demanded in training at the Camp Nou, confirming that his reputation for strictness is well earned.
Víctor spoke about those gruelling sessions during an interview with the programme "Que T'hi Jugues" on "Cadena SER" radio: "There are videos in which you can see Gavi and me lying on the ground, with our legs in the air. I finished several training sessions feeling dizzy."
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Minutes were hard to come by in 2024-2025. Even so, Víctor insists the German coach taught him plenty about the discipline a professional needs and the effort that simply isn't up for debate.
There was warm praise, too, for former team-mate Gerard Martín, who is closing in on his 100th appearance for Barcelona's first team. "What he is achieving is incredible. I did not expect it, but he fully deserves it," Víctor said.
Martín, in his eyes, is exactly the sort of player who wins Flick over: "A hard-working player, who stays in the gym after training ends, and asks for extra training sessions and video sessions."
"Raphinha is amazing"
Raphinha also caught his attention when the talk turned to Barcelona's level this season. "Raphinha is amazing. He was so when I was in the team, but the quality he has is reinventing himself and defending. Especially defending and pressing," he said.
Now 24, Víctor is enjoying his second season at Sporting Braga, where he wears the number 10 shirt. He scored 17 goals and set up 6 more in over 3,500 minutes during his first campaign, nailing down a regular starting spot in the Portuguese top flight. The current season has started well too, with 5 goals in 12 matches.
Life in Portugal clearly suits him. "I am very happy with the team and the city," he said, hailing the club's facilities as "really very good."