Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has admitted that Paris Saint-Germain were the better side following his team’s 4-2 defeat in the Champions League on Tuesday.

The Catalan giants suffered their first defeat of the 2026/27 season against Luis Enrique’s side, raising concerns ahead of Sunday’s crucial La Liga encounter with bitter rivals Real Madrid.

Speaking after the game, Flick acknowledged that Barcelona made costly mistakes against the reigning European champions but insisted there were positives to take from the encounter.

According to Barca Universal, citing Mundo Deportivo, the German tactician believes the defeat has provided valuable lessons for his players ahead of El Clasico.

What Flick Said

“It was a great test for us and today we saw in which areas we need to improve. I also saw some good things,” he began.

“I think it was a fantastic game from both teams. We made mistakes and lost possession that we need to analyse,” Flick explained.

He added that “PSG showed they were better than us. We lost, but we learned a lot from this match.”

Despite the setback, the former Bayern Munich manager maintained that Barcelona had opportunities to influence the outcome before PSG eventually took control.

With Real Madrid next on the calendar, Flick stressed that the European encounter was equally important, even though his side now face a quick turnaround before Sunday’s showdown.

“Yes. Today’s match was important too. We didn’t want to lose. We had chances after the score was 1–1. PSG played fantastically. On Sunday it’s El Clasico, and that’s always important for us.”

The Barcelona coach also praised youngster Xavi Espart, who impressed at right-back despite facing a difficult defensive assignment.

Flick highlighted the defender’s progress since breaking into the senior team and expressed satisfaction with his performance against PSG’s attacking players.

“Xavi Espart is playing at an incredible level. I think I was surprised by his level last year, then the Under-19 European Championship and then he came directly to us. Since then he has played at a high level,” he noted.

The German will now turn his attention to preparing his players for El Clasico, where Barcelona will be hoping to put their European disappointment behind them.

However, the defeat to PSG has highlighted areas requiring improvement if the Catalan giants are to maintain their impressive start to the campaign.