Hansi Flick was “disappointed but proud” after Barcelona came desperately close to pulling off an incredible comeback against Atlético Madrid on Tuesday only to ultimately miss out on a place in the Copa del Rey final.
Two goals from Marc Bernal and a Raphinha penalty earned Barça a 3-0 win at Spotify Camp Nou, but they lost the tie 4-3 on aggregate after last month’s four-goal defeat in Madrid.
Atlético will now progress to April’s final in Seville, where they will meet the winners of Wednesday’s Basque derby between Real Sociedad and Athletic Club.
“We are disappointed, but we can be very proud about the performance we showed,” Flick said in the post-game news conference. “It was an amazing game from us and we created a lot of chances to score even more goals. In the end it didn’t happen and we have to accept it.”
Fermín López, Raphinha, Bernal, Ferran Torres and Lamine Yamal all had early chances as Barça flew out of the blocks, registering 13 shots on goal in the first half.
Bernal eventually gave them the lead in the 29th minute, converting a brilliant Yamal cross, and when Raphinha made it 2-0 via the spot on the stroke of halftime, the home supporters chanted “Yes we can.”
A second goal of the night from teenager Bernal set the stage for a frantic final 20 minutes, but Barça could not find a fourth, which would have taken the tie to extra-time, with their best chance blazed over by Gerard Martín in stoppage time.
“Normally this level is the benchmark, but we have to show it in every game,” Flick added. “It’s not a given, it’s hard work.”
Bernal, one of the standout performers on the night, has now scored four goals in his last five appearances and is nearing his best form again following over one year out of action with an ACL injury.
“Marc played an unbelievable game today,” Flick said. “This is the mentality I want from him because he’s a fantastic talent. With the ball, the buildup, he’s really good. Today…it was amazing, really good to see.”
Barça’s performance was tainted by injuries to Jules Koundé and Alejandro Balde. Koundé was forced off in the first half and Balde, his replacement, came off after the break.
Both will undergo tests on Thursday to determine the severity of the injuries.
“They are out,” Flick said when asked for an update on their fitness. “I don’t know [how long for]. We have to wait until tomorrow to know exactly.
“Everyone was exhausted because they left everything on the pitch. They gave more than 100%. The supporters are happy with this game, maybe also a bit disappointed, but it’s normal. Everyone played with his whole heart for this club and it’s fantastic to see.”
Copa elimination means Flick will miss out on a domestic trophy in Spain for the first time since being appointed Barcelona coach in 2024.
He won LaLiga, the Copa and the Spanish Supercopa in his debut season in charge, following up those three titles with a second Supercopa in Saudi Arabia in January.
However, Barça still have plenty to play for this season. They are four points clear at the top of LaLiga and face Newcastle United next week in the Champions League round of 16.
“It’s a long way to go in La Liga and the Champions League,” Flick said said. “We have a huge opponent coming up, Newcastle, a strong team. Every three or four days we have a match and this is our job for the next weeks, months.
“We want to play many games in the Champions League so we have to do it like this. Recovery, focus on our job and that’s what I want to see from the team. The quality we saw today from the team, it’s there, it’s unbelievable. I am really proud about my team and it’s fantastic.”