Hansi Flick makes 'dominant' demand of Barcelona ahead of vital Clasico clash with Real Madrid as Catalans aim to regroup following Champions League heartbreak

Following a painful exit from the UEFA Champions League at the hands of Inter Milan, the German tactician urged his squad to channel their frustration into a display of authority and energy against their fiercest rivals.

The Blaugrana’s European ambitions came to an abrupt end on Tuesday, dashing hopes of securing a quadruple this season. Now, their full attention turns to the Liga title race, where they currently hold a four-point lead over defending champions Real Madrid with just four matches left to play.

Speaking during a press briefing on Saturday, Flick emphasised the emotional and psychological recovery of the team following their continental disappointment.

"We spoke about what they (the players) are thinking, what they are feeling, it's important in a group that we speak about that," Flick said.

"Everyone knows that in a Clasico you have to be on your highest level, that's what we have to do. We want to be active, we want to see the team (play) with intensity on the pitch, dominant as normal, and we know it's a really fantastic team from Real (against us)."

Barcelona will enter Sunday’s Clasico buoyed by a flawless head-to-head record against Los Blancos this season. The Catalans have already triumphed over Madrid three times across various competitions. The first meeting came in October, where Barcelona stunned the Santiago Bernabéu with a 4-0 demolition in La Liga. In January, they cruised to a 5-2 victory in the Spanish Super Cup final. Most recently, they edged a dramatic Copa del Rey final in April, winning 3-2 in extra time.

Barcelona have received encouraging news on the injury front. Left-back Alejandro Balde and young midfielder Marc Casado, both of whom had been sidelined with muscle and ligament issues, respectively, have been cleared to rejoin the matchday squad. Additionally, star striker Robert Lewandowski, who made a cameo appearance against Inter midweek, is also in contention. However, Flick hinted that all three are likely to feature from the bench rather than the starting XI.