Flick: Too soon to predict trophy chances

BARCELONA — Barcelona is in contention for three major titles, but manager Hansi Flick said it was still too early to evaluate its trophy chances after it beat Benfica 3-1 on Tuesday to reach the Champions League quarterfinals.

Barca maintained its imperious form with a commanding win over Benfica to extend its unbeaten run to 17 games across all competitions.

While Barca leads La Liga, and has also reached the Copa del Rey semifinals, Flick played down talk of title pressure, saying it was still too early to be thinking about silverware.

"First things first, we need to focus on the quarterfinals and be well-prepared for the opponents we face next," Flick told reporters on Tuesday. "The Champions League is the most difficult trophy that exists, and, sure, we hope we can keep advancing and be good enough to win it all, but there is still a long way to go." In the quarters, Barca will meet the winner of the tie between Lille and Borussia Dortmund, the first leg of which, in Germany, ended in a 1-1 draw.

Only one point separates Spain's three biggest clubs in one of the closest La Liga title races in recent years, with Barca leading the pack on 57 points, only ahead of second-placed Real Madrid on goal difference, and Atletico Madrid in third on 56 points. Barca has a game in hand over both.

In the Copa del Rey, Barca will travel to Madrid to face Atletico in the second leg of the semifinal on April 2, after a 4-4 draw in the first fixture.

On Tuesday, a superb Barca dismantled Benfica with a double from Raphinha and a superb individual goal by Lamine Yamal, as it advanced with a 4-1 aggregate victory.

"I'm happy, we respected Benfica, they did a great job, they made it difficult for us, but we did very well, I'm proud," Flick said.

"We are candidates to win everything," Raphinha told Movistar.

"It's good that the players think about that, it shows they have confidence, they believe in what they are doing, but my job is to stay calm," said Flick.

Flick had said Barca would play for late club doctor Carles Minarro, who died suddenly on Saturday ahead of the team's match against Osasuna.

Agencies