Barcelona coach Hansi Flick has warned his players against showing disrespect towards referees after Jude Bellingham’s red card for using an insulting phrase during a match against Osasuna on Saturday. Flick believes both the original and altered phrases are disrespectful, and that arguing with officials is a “weakness” that can lead to negative consequences.
Flick emphasized the importance of accepting referee decisions and not wasting energy on discussing them, citing that only the captain is allowed to discuss issues with the ref. He also highlighted his team’s strong performances in recent games, going unbeaten in 11 consecutive matches since the start of the year.
The draw against Osasuna came after second-placed Atlético Madrid slipped up, giving Barcelona a chance to leapfrog them if they beat Rayo Vallecano on Monday. Flick expressed confidence in his team’s abilities and warned that he will focus on their performances rather than looking at the table standings. With Ronald Araújo set to return from injury, Barcelona face an uphill task against a well-performing Rayo side.
Source: https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/43871873/barcelona-hansi-flick-jude-bellingham-red-card-weakness