Barcelona coach Hansi Flick said Tuesday his team will be judged on what silverware it wins this season, regardless of how entertaining its football is.
After winning the Spanish Super Cup in January, the Catalan giant is fighting for a potential quadruple and is playing with the flair and style they have lacked in recent seasons.
Barcelona faces Atletico Madrid on Wednesday in a Copa del Rey semifinal second leg clash, sitting first in La Liga and in the Champions League quarterfinals.
“I think my team, the players, can be very proud about what they’re doing,” Flick told a news conference.
“I think the team improved a lot, so this is also what I said to them, I appreciate that about (our path) until now. But it’s football, and you know in the end what counts is your position, the titles if they are possible,” he added.
Barcelona has scored four goals or more in 20 of the 45 matches it has played across all competitions this season.
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It drew 4-4 with Atletico in the first leg of the Copa semi in February, and Flick said Raphinha and Pau Cubarsi were fit to play after resting against Girona in La Liga on Sunday.
Goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen returned to training this week after a long injury lay-off following knee surgery, although it will be some time before he can compete with Wojciech Szczesny for the gloves.
“He was on the pitch today and we will see, step by step, it’s normal, we have to wait,” said Flick.
“It’s not the time to make a decision or say anything about that… the good news is that he’s in a good moment, everything goes in the right direction,” he added.
Atletico coach Diego Simeone said losing against Barcelona would not count as a failure for his side.
The Rojiblancos were knocked out of the Champions League by Real Madrid and are nine points behind Barca in La Liga, with the Copa representing their last realistic chance of silverware this season.
“Failure would be not trying; he who tries, does not fail. For me, it’s been a very good season, we’re in the Copa del Rey semifinals,” said Simeone.