Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick has promised supporters that his team will be ready despite suffering a 1-0 defeat to Udinese in pre-season on Saturday night.
The Catalan giants were beaten in the final match of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Cup, a unique triangular tournament in which Barcelona, Udinese and Nottingham Forest played 45-minute matches.
Both Barcelona and Udinese defeated Nottingham Forest by identical 1-0 scorelines, setting up a decisive meeting between the two sides.
Udinese ultimately secured the trophy after defeating Barcelona, with Flick fielding a youthful side that included only a few senior players, notably Andreas Christensen and Alejandro Balde.
Barcelona were also missing several key players, while some members of the squad were still working their way back to full fitness following the World Cup.
Flick acknowledged that the preparations for the 2026/27 campaign have been unusual and challenging but urged supporters not to read too much into the pre-season result.
“It is an atypical and strange preseason,” Flick said.
The German coach is confident Barcelona will improve as more players return and the squad gains match fitness ahead of the new campaign.
Flick’s message is intended to reassure Culers that the defeat to Udinese is not a reflection of Barcelona’s true level, with the club expected to look significantly stronger once their full squad is available.
