Barcelona coach Hansi Flick warned that football can change quickly after his side came from behind to beat Galatasaray 4-1 in the Champions League on Tuesday, extending their winning streak to 10 matches to start the season.
Aleksey Batrakov gave the home side a surprise lead in Istanbul but João Cancelo levelled before the break and second half goals from Fermín López, Anthony Gordon and Karim Adeyemi sealed the victory for the Spanish champions.
The win was Barça’s second in the Champions League this season, while they have also won all eight of their matches in LaLiga to date, scoring a remarkable 43 goals in the process, but Flick pointed out nothing is won in October.
“Football can change very fast,” Flick said in the post game news conference when asked if, playing like this, Barça are unstoppable.
“We are proud about this situation. We are happy and we have not just the confidence, but also the conviction in our style, how we want to play.
“But our ambitions are more; we want to win titles. We can win nothing now. In May, June you win the big titles. We are working every day for that.”
Barça’s free-scoring form has been all the more impressive given there were doubts pre-season about where the goals would come from after they failed to sign a starting striker following the departures of Robert Lewandowksi and Ferran Torres.
However, they have come from all over the pitch, with seven players — including full-back Cancelo — already netting multiple goals in the current campaign.
Flick, though, insists he has not been shocked by how his team has flown out of the traps.
“When I see the quality in the training, which is what counts, I am not surprised,” he added.
“I know the team. I am 100% convinced about my team; how they can play. It’s amazing to see how we control the game. It’s the Champions League and it was a top performance from us.
“I appreciated a lot what I saw in the first half as well. Decision-making in the final third and transitions were not the best, but we know [Galatasaray] are very good, especially in this atmosphere.
“We adapt in the half time a little and the second half was great. The performance was unbelievable.”
One name missing from the scoresheet at Rams Park was Lamine Yamal, but the teenager was once again sensational, producing a performance which saw him named the game’s MVP.
He set up López’s goal with a sublime cross and created Gordon’s with a brilliant piece of skill, while he was also involved in the build-up to Barça’s other two strikes.
In 10 appearances for the club this season, he has now scored eight goals and laid on nine assists.
“Lamine made a fantastic second half,” Flick said. “It’s amazing to have player like him on this level. He changed the game for us and this was really good.
“When you see Lamine in every training, and when you see some situations created in the training, it’s the same like here. This is amazing. I am happy to have a player like him in my team.
“In the second half he was fantastic, how he dominated the game, the last pass… it’s unbelievable what he’s doing.”
Barça’s winning run is likely to be tested over the next week. They travel to third-placed Real Betis in LaLiga on Saturday, face Paris Saint-Germain in France in the Champions League next Tuesday and then host Real Madrid in the first Clásico of the season the following Sunday.
