Barcelona manager Hansi Flick urged calm on Friday despite his side holding a four-point lead over a struggling Real Madrid, insisting that their position at the top of LaLiga will only matter if they maintain focus for the remainder of the season.

Barça sit on 40 points from 16 matches, with Real having managed just two wins in their last eight games across all competitions. Even so, Flick warned that the standings in December offer no guarantees.

“It’s a long road ahead,” he told reporters. “It’s December, and we still have a lot to play for.

“What matters is concentrating on ourselves. There are things we can improve. The right mentality is not to be satisfied with what we’ve achieved so far — we have to keep pushing.

“In the end, the season will put you in your place. That’s when you’ll have earned whatever you get.”

Barcelona host 15th-placed Osasuna on Saturday, buoyed by the return of winger Raphinha and midfielder Pedri. Both played key roles in Tuesday’s comeback 2–1 Champions League win over Eintracht Frankfurt, Barça’s fourth consecutive victory in all competitions.

Despite the team’s recent form, Flick continues to field questions regarding the goalkeeping situation.

Marc-André ter Stegen, 33, was named on the bench against Frankfurt but has yet to make an appearance this season following a back injury suffered in July. His absence escalated into a dispute with the club, who briefly stripped him of the captaincy after he rejected a long-term medical leave arrangement that would have helped alleviate pressure on Barcelona’s finances under LaLiga regulations.

In the meantime, 24-year-old Joan García — signed from Espanyol in the summer — has firmly claimed the No. 1 spot, making 13 appearances in all competitions.

Flick made his stance clear when asked about the hierarchy: “Joan is number one. I’m not going to talk about the number two or three goalkeeper. Joan plays — we believe in him — and I have no intention of replacing him. He has done very well.”

Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso, meanwhile, is under growing scrutiny ahead of Sunday’s trip to Alavés after his team’s extended slump in form.

Flick refused to comment on the situation at the Bernabéu.
“I’m not worried about Real Madrid — only about ourselves and our current situation,” he said.