Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick has confirmed that his team will take on Benfica in the Champions League on Tuesday as a tribute to club doctor Carles Minarro, who passed away on Saturday.
The Catalan side heads into the second leg of their last-16 tie with a 1-0 advantage from their first-leg victory in Lisbon.
The match will take place at the Olympic Stadium, just days after Barcelona’s La Liga fixture against Osasuna was postponed due to Minarro’s sudden passing at the age of 53.
“It’s a huge loss. Carles was a really great person but also a great doctor, and the combination of Ricard (Pruna, another club doctor) and him was unbelievable for the club and the team,” Flick said in a press conference on Monday.
“He was one of the key pieces in our success because they did a great job. We miss him, but that’s life. I think he will support us from above. The team also wants to play for him. Now, in this situation, it’s very important that we win, and that is our focus for tomorrow.”
Minarro had been part of Barcelona’s medical staff since 2017 and joined the men’s first team only a few months ago.
Barcelona previously defeated Benfica 5-4 in the group stage before securing a hard-fought win in Lisbon last week, despite playing most of the match with 10 men after Pau Cubarsí’s red card.
However, Flick dismissed any notion that qualification to the quarter-finals is assured, emphasizing Benfica’s strong away form, which includes wins over Juventus and a commanding home victory against Atlético Madrid.
“None of us thinks that it’s done, and that’s the important thing,” Flick stated.
“They have performed really well in their away matches in the Champions League, winning several games on the road. So we have to keep that in mind and stay focused.”
AFP
