Sport
Flick issues Europe warning after Barcelona rout Dortmund
Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick issued a stark warning to Europe after his side convincingly defeated Borussia Dortmund 4-0 in their Champions League quarter-final first leg.
Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick issued a stark warning to Europe after his side convincingly defeated Borussia Dortmund 4-0 in their Champions League quarter-final first leg
Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick has sent a clear message to the rest of Europe’s top clubs after his team delivered a commanding 4-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final clash.
The emphatic win at the Olympic Stadium on Wednesday night puts the Catalan giants in a formidable position heading into the return fixture.
Despite the convincing scoreline, which firmly places Barcelona in the driving seat to progress to the semi-finals, Flick maintained that his squad is not resting on its laurels and believes there is still scope for further improvement within the team.
“I want to keep improving. Today we saw some areas we can do better,” Flick told reporters during the post-match press conference.
“We will analyse this match thoroughly, and I will certainly commend the players for their excellent performance.
However, it’s crucial to recognise that there are still aspects of our game that we need to work on. I am very happy with the result this evening, but we must remember that this is just the first step in the tie.”
Flick’s comments suggest a relentless pursuit of perfection within the Barcelona camp, signalling a potentially ominous sign for their Champions League rivals as the competition progresses.
Cristiano Ronaldo announces his retirement from Portugal international duty after 23 years, ending a career that included 146 goals in 234 games
On 5 November 2026, Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo announced his retirement from international duty, bringing an end to a 23-year career with the national team just as a rift with manager Jorge Jesus appeared to have been patched up.
Also read: Mourinho Balanced on Vinicius With Soft Approach
The 41-year-old posted a video on social media in which he declared that the time had come to hang up the number 7 jersey.
“Portugal will always be in me,” he said. “The time has come to hang up the number 7 of our national team. I never felt it was exclusively mine, but for 23 years I had the privilege and the responsibility of wearing it.”
Ronaldo added that the decision was not easy and had been taken with both the head and the heart.
He leaves as Portugal’s most capped player and the highest goalscorer in men’s international football history, with 146 goals in 234 appearances.
His career highlights include the Euro 2016 title and two UEFA Nations League triumphs.
The announcement comes a day before Jorge Jesus was due to name his squad for the November Nations League fixtures, following reports that Ronaldo had been included in the preliminary selection after a September fallout over playing time.
In October, Ronaldo had accused Jesus of breaking his word after being left as an unused substitute against Norway, leading him to leave the national team camp.
He later apologised and stated he remained available after any punishment.
The pair were reported to have cleared the air, yet Ronaldo has now chosen to step away entirely.
The decision closes one of the most remarkable international careers the sport has seen and leaves Portugal without its long-serving captain for the remainder of the Nations League campaign.
Also read: Mourinho Balanced on Vinicius With Soft Approach
Football has been stunned by the sudden end to Ronaldo’s Portugal chapter. While he continues at club level with Al Nassr, the national team must now look to the future without its greatest ever player.
José Mourinho says he is 80 per cent soft and 20 per cent tough with Vinicius Júnior after Real Madrid’s Champions League win over AEK Athens
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