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Hansi Flick has hit out at LaLiga for scheduling Barcelona's match against Celta Vigo early on Saturday (April 19). He believes they could have played it later in the day, which would have helped the players rest better.
Speaking to the media ahead of the match, Flick said every league in the world tries to protect its teams, but LaLiga are failing to do so. He added that all the clubs are getting affected. Flick said (via ESPN):
"Every league protects their clubs, especially when they play in the semifinals of the Champions League. It's unbelievable, we have no time to rest. For me, the guys responsible for that -- I want to discuss it with them ... I don't want to make excuses or complain. I'd like to see this guy who's responsible. I'm happy we're not playing on Sunday at 2 p.m against Valladolid."
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"But why can't we play at 6 p.m like we normally do? Give me one reason. To me, it's a joke and it affects Spanish football. The rest of the teams in the European leagues benefit. I'm speechless because this situation is unbelievable. In the Bundesliga or Premier League, they take care of their clubs ... They [LaLiga] have no idea what this [arriving late] means for the players," he added.
Barcelona are at the top of the league table, four points clear of second-placed Real Madrid. Seven matches are left in the season, and the Catalan side are the favorites for the title.
Barcelona manager comments on next opponents, Celta Vigo
Hansi Flick spoke about Celta Vigo and their 37-year-old manager Claudio Giráldez, heaping praise on him and suggesting that age was never a factor. The German added that Barcelona's opponents this week have a clear style of play and that his side cannot afford any lapses. He said (via ESPN):
"I have the highest respect for his work, he's coached a great team ... it has nothing to do with his age. Celta have a clear idea of how they want to play, they're very brave in their build-up. For us it's important we show our strengths, maybe what we missed in Dortmund. We spoke about the situations we had in Dortmund and we have to do better tomorrow ... We have to play at our highest level. Also, they like their away matches."
Barcelona need a win to maintain their gap to Real Madrid. Celta Vigo need a win as they are seventh in LaLiga standings, and a loss could see them drop to 10th.
