Marcus Sorg was the man chosen to speak to the media ahead of this Sunday’s Clásico (4.15pm CET), in which Barça will visit the Santiago Bernabéu aiming to repeat last year’s superb performance. With Hansi Flick suspended and unable to take his seat on the bench, Sorg will take charge of the team from the touchline.
“It’s an honour to be on the bench,” said the German, expressing his pride at leading the team in such a special match. Although Flick won’t be physically present, Sorg acknowledged that he remains a key figure in the dressing room: “When Hansi isn’t there, you can feel his absence. He’s the most important part of the team.” Even so, he stressed that the group “knows what it has to do” and that Flick “is motivated and in good spirits.”
Style, non-negotiable
Regarding the match, Sorg admitted it will be demanding and said the key will be controlling both possession and pressing: “It will be a very tough game, but we have to show our strengths.” The coach emphasised the importance of staying true to Barça’s identity: “We have to do our things well, press high, and keep our defensive line up. If we change anything, we lose our structure, and that doesn’t help.”
Discussing the approach, he pointed out that in games like this “it’s always 50–50, and the team that plays better will win … If we want to win at the Bernabéu, we must avoid losing the ball, keep possession and stay compact. If we play as a unit, we’ll have our chances.”
As for the opposition, Sorg praised Real Madrid’s improvement: “Like last year, they’re very strong in transition. Our challenge is to press well. The biggest change is that they press much better now, especially in the front line.”
Squad availability
On the injury front, Sorg confirmed that Raphinha will not be available but left the door open for Ferran Torres: “We have enough players to compete. We’ll decide tomorrow whether Ferran starts.” In defence, Jules Kounde is a doubt after missing the last two training sessions. However, the Frenchman trained normally on Saturday, and Sorg explained that the coaching staff “will wait until the last moment to decide.”
