Barcelona manager Hansi Flick says it was important his team win their UEFA Champions League second leg round of 16 tie against Benfica in honour of the late team doctor Carles Minarro Garcia, Afrosport reports.
Minarro Garcia passed away at the team hotel on Saturday which led to the Blaugrana’s La Liga match against Osasuna being postponed.
Flick, speaking ahead of Tuesday’s game with Benfica, stated that Minarro Garcia was part of the big success at the club.
“It’s a huge loss. This was a really great person, but also a great doctor. And as I said, this combination with [club doctor] Ricard [Pruna] and him was for the club very unbelievable,” the German said.
“And for the team, a big [part of] the puzzle for this success, because they’re doing a great job. And we’ll miss him, but it’s also life. I think he will support us from above. And the team also, we want to play, we want to also play… for him. It’s now in this situation very important that we win.”
Flick further added that his team are handling Minarro Garcia’s demise well and are focused on getting the job done against Benfica.
“The team is doing well with this situation and we are focused on this match. And how I said it also after the match in… Lisbon, that is it’s only the first match. And I think…. they are [a] really good transition team and we have to take care about that. This is what I said also to the team,” he stated.
Barcelona defeated Benfica in the first leg 1-0 in Lisbon with 10 men after the sending off of Pau Cubarsi.
They will pull through to the quarter-finals if they avoid defeat at Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium.
