After the Paris and Real Madrid shocks: Flick sends a fiery message to Barcelona's doubters!

What did he say

Flick responded to questions about Barcelona's ability to show up in the big games, saying: "I believe in my team, I am 100% convinced of it, and of the idea of how we want to play football."

Barcelona lacked the required intensity at the start against Atlético Madrid, Flick admitted. Atlético were sharper in the one-on-one duels and individual battles, and that edge handed the hosts control in the opening minutes.

"For me, it is about the intensity we have on the pitch, and that was not there at the beginning," he said. "You had the feeling that Atlético were more involved in the game, and more present in player-versus-player situations and one-on-one duels, while we were not."

Two things turned the contest, he added: his side's fightback and their equaliser before the break. After the interval, Barcelona took hold of the game and finally produced the display he had been chasing.

He called the win over Atlético hugely important. His team fell short in the first half, improved sharply in the second and seized control, which in his eyes made the victory thoroughly deserved.

On Frenkie de Jong's deployment at right-back, the German revealed the player had volunteered for the role if the team needed him. The pair had discussed it before the match.

The plan was for de Jong to spend 50 minutes on the right, coming off once Bernie started to tire. Everything unfolded as mapped out, and Flick stands by the call.

Barcelona will keep working to his philosophy, he insisted, trusting the quality of his players to execute the style he wants to build. It was a clear statement of faith in his project despite the criticism that trailed the defeats to Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain.