Hansi Flick could not hide his delight after Barcelona's emphatic 7-2 victory over Racing Santander, praising the level his team reached while insisting a strong start counts for little without focus and hard work right through to the end of the season.
Barcelona brushed their visitors aside to keep their perfect start rolling, banking maximum points to sit top of La Liga on 18.
"It is like life, you always have to improve," Flick said after the game at the Spotify Camp Nou. "We played well regardless of the result, and I love the way we play, it is nice to watch."
He added, as reported by "Marca": "But the most important thing is always to be fully focused in every situation of the match, and with every pass."
Praise for the opponent
The German coach turned his attention to Racing, warning that the scoreline masked a tough afternoon.
He said: "I love the way we played and the result, I am happy. The team is happy too, and playing against Racing was not easy, they play good football and want possession of the ball, and we deserved this result."
The start and the end
Flick refused to get carried away by the numbers behind Barcelona's flawless start.
He said: "It is good to have a good start, but the important thing is to have a good ending. We have the confidence, and the most important thing is the dynamic we move with, and the intensity of the performance and the pressing."
Confidence is high, but he knows the road ahead is anything but simple. "We are in a good moment, and we want to win every match, but that will not be easy."
Pressing even after 7-2
Why keep pressing with the game won? For Flick, it comes down to identity.
He said: "This is our mentality, and this is the way we want to play. If we lose the ball, we have to go and win it back."
Szczesny's mistake
Wojciech Szczesny came on after Joan Garcia's injury, and Flick shrugged off the errors that followed as part and parcel of football.
He said: "I am calm when Szczesny plays. It is natural to make mistakes, this is football. Joan Garcia was having some problems with his knee, and we hope he will be fine. Szczesny is our second goalkeeper, and everyone makes mistakes."
He explained: "We conceded a goal that was not necessary, but the same applies to the first goal. Everyone makes mistakes, and these are things we have to work on improving."
Szczesny was slow off his line, letting Morocco's Yasser Zabiri grab Racing's second of the afternoon.
Adeyemi and team spirit
There was warm praise, too, for Karim Adeyemi, with Flick backing the German to offer Barcelona plenty and highlighting how quickly he has settled into the dressing room.
He said: "Football is a team game, and the most important thing is the team, and that is what I want from my players. Adeyemi offers a lot, and he has a big margin to adapt, and he will adapt to our philosophy."
He added: "He gave us a lot, as we saw today. The Catalan fans were fully behind him. He was not going through a good period in Germany, and he is a well-liked player inside the dressing room, and he possesses great pace."
No room for comparisons
Comparisons with Barcelona sides of the past held no interest for Flick, who stressed this team has yet to win anything.
He said: "It is not easy to make a comparison with previous teams, and I do not like to do that. I also liked the teams I coached in my first and second seasons."
He concluded: "We have not won anything yet. We have to keep working and putting in the effort. We are on the right path, and we must continue in this way."
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