Barcelona coach Hansi Flick has stated his group need to honour the reminiscence of Carles Miñarro within the Champions League towards Benfica on Tuesday after the group physician unexpectedly handed away over the weekend.
Miñarro, 53, died on Saturday, shortly earlier than Barça’s LaLiga recreation towards Osasuna on the Olympic Stadium, which led to the postponement of the fixture.
Barça play their first recreation since his passing on Tuesday, once they host Benfica within the return match of their round-of-16 tie with a 1-0 lead from the primary leg.
“It is an enormous loss,” Flick stated in a information convention on Monday. “Carles was a very nice particular person and an ideal physician. The mixture of him and [doctor] Ricard [Pruna] was unbelievable for the membership and a giant a part of the group’s success.
“We’ll miss him. I believe he’ll assist us from above. We need to play for him. It is now within the scenario essential that we win. That is the main target we would like.
“The group is doing nicely. It is now our job to proceed. It is a essential scenario for us, the membership, the followers and we need to do nicely. It is essential to win.”
Miñarro had joined Barça in 2017 and, after working primarily with the membership’s futsal group, joined the primary group final summer time when Flick was appointed as coach.
Membership president Joan Laporta stated his passing had left the membership “in a state of shock,” with a number of gamers working particularly intently with him.
In Dani Olmo‘s case, he had recognized Miñarro for years as a result of truth he had been his private physician since 2016 having additionally labored with the Spain worldwide’s dad, Miguel.
“Why Doc?” Miguel, a former participant and coach, posted on X. “Now we have shared a few of my finest experiences within the recreation. You haven’t solely been my physician since 2009, but additionally Dani’s and different relations’ and mates’.
“You by no means stated ‘No’ to anybody. You improved the standard of lifetime of my mother and father (infinite thanks), my kids, my spouse, my siblings, mates … of anybody who requested.
“You really liked your job and I understand how a lot it had price you to get to the highest, the place you have been. I’ll miss the physician rather a lot, however greater than something I’ll miss my buddy, Carles, who was a part of the household we created round Dani.
“How incomprehensible and the way unfair. A lot ache.”
Olmo is anticipated to be a part of the Barça group that face Benfica on Tuesday.
A aim from Raphinha in Lisbon final week sealed a 1-0 win for the Blaugrana, who performed a lot of the recreation with 10 gamers after Pau Cubarsí was despatched off, however Flick insists his group is not going to take their lead with no consideration.
“I see the group very centered,” Flick stated when requested if complacency might be an issue.
“Nobody thinks that it is accomplished from us. That is the essential factor. The group know the correct perspective on the pitch is important for tomorrow.
“I stated after the match in Lisbon, it is solely the primary match. Benfica are a very good transition group and we now have to take care about that.”
The winners of the tie will meet both Borussia Dortmund or Lille within the quarterfinal.
