Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has acknowledged that Paris Saint-Germain deserved their 4-2 victory over his side in Tuesday’s UEFA Champions League encounter, admitting that the French champions were the better team on the night.
The result at the Parc des Princes brought Barcelona’s unbeaten start to the 2026/27 season to an end, leaving Flick with plenty to reflect on as his team prepares for its next challenge.
Speaking after the match, the German tactician pointed to his side’s mistakes and physical demands in recent weeks as factors that affected their performance.
“PSG showed that they are a better team than us. We lost this match, but we learned a lot from it. It’s not an excuse, but we have to understand that we made mistakes because we are not fresh. The effort that the team has had to do in the last couple of weeks has been unbelievable”.
Flick also highlighted PSG’s threat on the counter-attack and Barcelona’s fading energy towards the closing stages as key issues that contributed to the defeat. He stressed that the team must learn from the experience and address its shortcomings rather than dwell on the result.
Despite the setback, the Barcelona manager found positives in young defender Xavi Espart’s display. The youngster impressed on the European stage and scored his maiden Champions League goal, earning praise from Flick, who described his performance as fantastic.
Barcelona will now shift their focus to the upcoming El Clásico against Real Madrid, with Flick and his players looking to respond positively after suffering their first defeat of the season.