Barcelona to honor team doctor in Champions League match
Hansi Flick said that Barcelona will honor their late team doctor, Carles Miñarro, during their Champions League game against Benfica.
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Barcelona to honor their late team doctor
Miñarro, 53, passed away on Saturday, shortly before Barca’s LaLiga game against Osasuna at the Olympic Stadium, leading to the postponement of the match.
Barca play their first game since his passing on Tuesday when they host Benfica in the second leg of their round-of-16 tie.
“It’s a huge loss,” Flick said in a news conference on Monday.
“Carles was a really great person and a great doctor. The combination of him and [doctor] Ricard [Pruna] was unbelievable for the club and a big part of the team’s success.”
“We will miss him. I think he will support us from above. We want to play for him. It’s now in the situation very important that we win. This is the focus we want.”
“The team is doing well. It’s now our job to continue. This is a very important situation for us, the club, the fans and we want to do well. It’s very important to win.”
Miñarro joined Barca in 2017, initially working with the club’s futsal team, but he became part of the first team last summer after Flick was appointed as coach.
Club president Joan Laporta said Miñarro’s passing had left the club “in a state of shock,” as several players had worked especially closely with him.
Focused on Benfica
Meanwhile, Barca secured a 1-0 first-leg victory in Lisbon, thanks to Raphinha’s goal.
Despite the advantage, Flick insists his team will not take it for granted.
“I see the team very focused,” Flick said when asked if complacency could be a problem.
“No one thinks that it’s done from us. This is the important thing. The team know the right attitude on the pitch is necessary for tomorrow.
“I said after the match in Lisbon, it’s only the first match. Benfica are a really good transition team and we have to take care about that.”
The winners of the tie will meet either Borussia Dortmund or Lille in the quarterfinal.
