Hansi Flick demands more from Barcelona following Sevilla thrashing

Barcelona beat Sevilla 5-1 to remain three points ahead of Real Madrid. Despite the result, manager Hansi Flick wasn't left completely satisfied following the win.

The obvious blemish is the goal Barcelona conceded late in the second half.

"I didn't like the goal we conceded. Well analyze it," Flick said after the game.

With the Catalan side playing a high line, Sevilla managed to beat the offside trap courtesy of a long ball from the keeper. Pau Cubarsi was beaten for pace and not wanting to concede a penalty and potentially being sent off, perhaps didn't pressure as much as he would have wanted.

Coming off the international break, it was important for Barcelona to not let up.

"Every game is important, not just against the big clubs," Flick said. "Sevilla was also tough. We've come back from the international break very well. I'm very happy with the result. Now we start preparing for the Bayern match."

While the German coach isn't demanding perfection, he wants to get as close to it as possible which made the goal they conceded late something they want to avoid. Because Barcelona were already up by four, the goal wasn't going to impact the outcome of the match. But that isn't always going to be the case. That lack of concentration could come back to haunt them in matches like the ones this week.

That Barcelona are playing as well as they are and with more or less the same squad last season, it speaks well to the work Flick is doing taking into account some of the players he was, and still is, missing, particularly in defense.

The result was important given Barcelona play Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu next Saturday with the league lead on the line. But before they can worry about Madrid, their attention will be solely focused on Wednesday when they take on the aforementioned Bayern Munich at Montjuic in the Champions League.