Hansi Flick's praise of Real Betis star Abdessamad Ezzalzouli did not come from nowhere, ahead of the Andalusian side's clash with Barcelona. The German coach admires the Moroccan winger, who keeps shining and driving up his market value. Could that revive interest in signing him down the line?
According to Spanish newspaper "Sport", Flick does not hand out lavish praise without thinking. He picks his words, his subjects and his tone carefully.
That makes his focus on Ezzalzouli at the pre-match press conference all the more telling, even though he was asked about the player directly. Flick tends to be guarded and distant when discussing players who do not belong to him.
"What I see from him impresses me," Flick said of Ezzalzouli. "He is a wonderful player, I like his way of playing football, the confidence he has in himself in one-on-one duels, and his ability to move in the final third of the pitch."
This was no passing compliment or a line to brush the question aside. Flick has admired the Moroccan winger for a long time.
Barcelona had Ezzalzouli on their list of targets during recent summer windows, an alternative option to bolster the wing. Talks and inquiries even got under way over a possible deal, but they went no further.
The Catalans still retain 20 per cent of any future sale of Ezzalzouli.
When the Moroccan joined Real Betis in 2023, both parties agreed that Barcelona would collect 50 per cent of his resale value. Vitor Roque's move to Palmeiras changed those terms.
Real Betis had to sanction Roque's transfer, given the Brazilian was with the Andalusian side on loan. In return, Barcelona agreed to give up 30 of the 50 per cent they held in Ezzalzouli's future sale.
The arrangement has worked out brilliantly for Betis. The Moroccan's market value has climbed ever since, reaching 40 million euros today.
Keep up these levels and his price could rise further still by next summer.
Ezzalzouli was Betis's standout performer against Barcelona, dazzling with his pace, his bursts, his strength and his finishing.
He did more than score Betis's third goal, cutting the deficit to 2-3 after a lightning counter-attack he finished perfectly past Juan Garcia. He tormented France's Jules Koundé down the left all afternoon, leaving the defender struggling to contain the Morocco international.
Right now his acceleration and ball-carrying rank among the best in Europe.
Manuel Pellegrini can no longer do without him at Betis. His brilliance is not confined to domestic football either, with one of the goals of the matchday against Porto proving he can do it in the Champions League too.
Plenty of possibilities remain open. Flick's earlier interest, though, suggests the German spotted something special in the player.
Barcelona have other options on the wing, among them Karim Adeyemi and Anthony Gordon. None of that stops Flick admiring the Moroccan, and their paths may yet cross again.