Slavia Prague boss gutted over Lamine Yamal ban: 'When you play well, they say you play like Barça'
Jindřich Trpišovský shows his admiration for Barcelona's style and star players ahead of their Champions League clash, while acknowledging the challenge facing his Slavia side.
Slavia Prague manager Jindřich Trpišovský has expressed his disappointment at not facing a full-strength Barcelona side, while revealing his long-standing admiration for the Catalan giants’ playing style.
Missing Lamine
The Czech boss was particularly gutted about Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal’s absence through suspension for Wednesday’s Champions League clash.
“It’s a shame he won’t be there. I’m sad because my players won’t have the opportunity to face a player like him,” Trpišovský admitted.
The absence of the Spanish teenage sensation is a blow for spectators, but potentially a relief for the Slavia defence who would have had their work cut out against the tricky winger.
Barcelona DNA
Trpišovský didn’t hold back his admiration for Barcelona’s footballing philosophy, revealing himself as a proper football purist at heart.
“Playing against Barça is a football festival,” he explained. “When teams play well, people say they play like Barcelona.”
The Slavia boss confessed to being a long-time follower of the Catalans, particularly during the Guardiola era when Xavi was pulling the strings in midfield. Among the current crop, he singled out Raphinha and Lamine Yamal as personal favourites.
Midfield maestros
While discussing Barcelona’s current squad, Trpišovský was full of praise for their midfield options:
- He described Pedri as “a modern, technical player” who is “fully integrated” into the team
- Fermín López and Dani Olmo also received special mentions
- He believes Pedri and Fermín “complement each other perfectly”
- He boldly predicted: “If Pedri avoids injuries, he’ll end up being a fantastic player”
Winter worries
The match represents Slavia’s first competitive fixture of 2026, following their winter break. Trpišovský acknowledged this creates uncertainty about his team’s form but insisted they’ve maintained their intensity during the layoff.
As for concerns about Barcelona struggling with Prague’s cold temperatures, the Slavia boss wasn’t having any of it: “Barcelona has experience with temperature changes. When we went to play in Spain, the difference was 27 degrees. Flick is German and knows what to expect weather-wise.”
With Barcelona coming off a defeat at Real Sociedad, Trpišovský expects a reaction from Flick’s men: “They say great teams don’t lose two games in a row… Sunday’s defeat will give Barça extra motivation.”
The Slavia boss will be hoping his side can spring a surprise in what promises to be a proper European night in Prague. It’s all set up to be a right Bobby Dazzler!