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The UEFA Champions League semi-final first legs played this week formed an enjoyable working schedule for German national team assistant coach Hansi Flick this week, who spent Tuesday and Wednesday in Madrid observing two matches, eight German internationals and many potential opponents. He spoke with Steffen Lüdeke for DFB.de about his impressions of the Atletico Madrid versus Chelsea and Real Madrid versus Bayern matches.
DFB.de: Mr Flick, you spent two evenings in Madrid. Can you describe the differences in atmosphere between the Estadio Vicente Calderon and the Santiago Bernabeu? How different are the worlds of Madrid’s two football clubs?
Hansi Flick: I really don’t want to rate them; the atmosphere in both stadiums is fantastic. For me, the Bernabeu is one of the most impressive arenas anywhere in the world. It is always a special moment when the fans sing the club anthem in full voice shortly before the start of the match. At Atletico everything seems a little more ramshackle, but that all adds to its charms. The spirit at Atletico is sensational too, and it spills over from the stands and onto the team. The team plays with so much heart and the fans love that. That creates a reciprocal effect that makes Atletico very special.
DFB.de: 180 minutes of football and only one goal. The average fan was expecting more of a spectacle from the semi-finals. As a coach, what did you make of both encounters?
Flick: I thought they were very interesting. Atletico impressed me. Their philosophy is clear to see, the team plays with a set plan and their set pieces are well rehearsed. I’d already watched them in their quarter-final against Barcelona, and they impressed me then too. The team play a full part in the game and they act rather than just reacting to what their opponents do. Atletico are in top form, their players are very flexible and able to play in different positions. They vary their tactics well and use the space almost perfectly. The best way to sum up Atletico’s style is to say they play in a very modern way.
DFB.de: And Chelsea?
Flick: Before the game even started, Chelsea’s main aim was not to concede a goal, and they managed it. They didn’t get any lucky breaks and they didn’t let Atletico create any clear scoring chances. Mourinho’s success is no accident. He has reached at least the semi-finals of the Champions League eight times with different teams. He lets his teams play the kind of football that is most likely to bring them success, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
DFB.de: Nevertheless, did Chelsea’s purely defensive approach surprise you?
Flick: Absolutely not. I expected them to build their team around a tight defence in Madrid in the hope that they could then score with a counterattack from Torres, Ramires or Willian.
DFB.de: André Schürrle was a victim of this defensive approach. He was only brought on at a late stage and then essentially played as a right-back. This wouldn’t be a new option for Germany though, would it?
Flick: No, absolutely not. (laughs) At the end of the day, we know André’s strengths in attack. Atletico’s wingers are often drawn inwards, so Chelsea’s wing-backs moved somewhat closer to the centre-backs. For Willian and André that meant filling the space that had become free on each side and dropping back where needed. In that respect, André did exactly what his coach expected of him.
DFB.de: In general, how do you view Schürrle’s development under José Mourinho?
Flick: Very positively. The fight for a place is doing him good. The situation isn’t always easy, because at Chelsea you have to live with the fact that you might not get picked for the next match even after you have a good game. The quality within the squad is simply too high, particularly in André’s position. Recently, he has helped to sway the outcome of several games. My impression is that the switch has made him more confident and has taught him to adapt to a new environment. The experience of playing abroad is obviously doing him good and has proved to be the right move for him.
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DFB.de: Bayern lost 1-0 to Real on Wednesday. What did Real do right – and what did Bayern do wrong?
Flick: Real were more efficient, that’s all there is to it. Up until the goal, Real had barely been able to create a chance. By scoring the goal – and two or three times after that – Real showed how dangerous they are when they’re able to counterattack and have space. I’m convinced that Bayern have an opportunity to turn things around in the return leg. Real play differently away from home; Dortmund have already shown how you can put Real under pressure and how vulnerable their team can be. Otherwise, Bayern didn’t do much wrong. They’ve had an exceptional season so far and their football has excited everybody. They’ve never won a German championship so early in the season before, they’re in the final of the DFB Cup and they still have a great chance of reaching the Champions League final again. Bayern are totally in a position to overturn that 1-0 deficit against Real.
DFB.de: If Bayern fail to do that, wouldn’t that be a boost for you? After all, it would mean that you would be able to spend more time preparing for the World Cup with Munich’s German internationals…
Flick: I don’t see it that way. Bayern’s players have a chance to make history. They could become the first team to defend their Champions League title, and I don’t begrudge any of them that opportunity. The national side will also benefit if all those players come into our squad fresh from enormous success and filled with confidence. In any case, nobody needs to worry – we’re experienced enough to deal with every eventuality. I’m sure that we’ll have enough to time to give the team the best possible preparation for the World Cup.
created by dfb
[bild1]
The UEFA Champions League semi-final first legs played this week formed an enjoyable working schedule for German national team assistant coach Hansi Flick this week, who spent Tuesday and Wednesday in Madrid observing two matches, eight German internationals and many potential opponents. He spoke with Steffen Lüdeke for DFB.de about his impressions of the Atletico Madrid versus Chelsea and Real Madrid versus Bayern matches.
DFB.de: Mr Flick, you spent two evenings in Madrid. Can you describe the differences in atmosphere between the Estadio Vicente Calderon and the Santiago Bernabeu? How different are the worlds of Madrid’s two football clubs?
Hansi Flick: I really don’t want to rate them; the atmosphere in both stadiums is fantastic. For me, the Bernabeu is one of the most impressive arenas anywhere in the world. It is always a special moment when the fans sing the club anthem in full voice shortly before the start of the match. At Atletico everything seems a little more ramshackle, but that all adds to its charms. The spirit at Atletico is sensational too, and it spills over from the stands and onto the team. The team plays with so much heart and the fans love that. That creates a reciprocal effect that makes Atletico very special.
DFB.de: 180 minutes of football and only one goal. The average fan was expecting more of a spectacle from the semi-finals. As a coach, what did you make of both encounters?
Flick: I thought they were very interesting. Atletico impressed me. Their philosophy is clear to see, the team plays with a set plan and their set pieces are well rehearsed. I’d already watched them in their quarter-final against Barcelona, and they impressed me then too. The team play a full part in the game and they act rather than just reacting to what their opponents do. Atletico are in top form, their players are very flexible and able to play in different positions. They vary their tactics well and use the space almost perfectly. The best way to sum up Atletico’s style is to say they play in a very modern way.
DFB.de: And Chelsea?
Flick: Before the game even started, Chelsea’s main aim was not to concede a goal, and they managed it. They didn’t get any lucky breaks and they didn’t let Atletico create any clear scoring chances. Mourinho’s success is no accident. He has reached at least the semi-finals of the Champions League eight times with different teams. He lets his teams play the kind of football that is most likely to bring them success, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
DFB.de: Nevertheless, did Chelsea’s purely defensive approach surprise you?
Flick: Absolutely not. I expected them to build their team around a tight defence in Madrid in the hope that they could then score with a counterattack from Torres, Ramires or Willian.
DFB.de: André Schürrle was a victim of this defensive approach. He was only brought on at a late stage and then essentially played as a right-back. This wouldn’t be a new option for Germany though, would it?
Flick: No, absolutely not. (laughs) At the end of the day, we know André’s strengths in attack. Atletico’s wingers are often drawn inwards, so Chelsea’s wing-backs moved somewhat closer to the centre-backs. For Willian and André that meant filling the space that had become free on each side and dropping back where needed. In that respect, André did exactly what his coach expected of him.
DFB.de: In general, how do you view Schürrle’s development under José Mourinho?
Flick: Very positively. The fight for a place is doing him good. The situation isn’t always easy, because at Chelsea you have to live with the fact that you might not get picked for the next match even after you have a good game. The quality within the squad is simply too high, particularly in André’s position. Recently, he has helped to sway the outcome of several games. My impression is that the switch has made him more confident and has taught him to adapt to a new environment. The experience of playing abroad is obviously doing him good and has proved to be the right move for him.
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DFB.de: Bayern lost 1-0 to Real on Wednesday. What did Real do right – and what did Bayern do wrong?
Flick: Real were more efficient, that’s all there is to it. Up until the goal, Real had barely been able to create a chance. By scoring the goal – and two or three times after that – Real showed how dangerous they are when they’re able to counterattack and have space. I’m convinced that Bayern have an opportunity to turn things around in the return leg. Real play differently away from home; Dortmund have already shown how you can put Real under pressure and how vulnerable their team can be. Otherwise, Bayern didn’t do much wrong. They’ve had an exceptional season so far and their football has excited everybody. They’ve never won a German championship so early in the season before, they’re in the final of the DFB Cup and they still have a great chance of reaching the Champions League final again. Bayern are totally in a position to overturn that 1-0 deficit against Real.
DFB.de: If Bayern fail to do that, wouldn’t that be a boost for you? After all, it would mean that you would be able to spend more time preparing for the World Cup with Munich’s German internationals…
Flick: I don’t see it that way. Bayern’s players have a chance to make history. They could become the first team to defend their Champions League title, and I don’t begrudge any of them that opportunity. The national side will also benefit if all those players come into our squad fresh from enormous success and filled with confidence. In any case, nobody needs to worry – we’re experienced enough to deal with every eventuality. I’m sure that we’ll have enough to time to give the team the best possible preparation for the World Cup.
