Barcelona travel to Istanbul looking to maintain their perfect start to the campaign, but Flick expects a difficult test against a Turkish side he believes has improved considerably.
“The first thing is to be ready for this atmosphere, which is incredible, one of the most impressive in the world. The noise inside the stadium is incredible. They support their team,” the Barcelona coach said.
“They have improved a lot and have very good players, particularly in attack. The important thing is to work together in defence.”
Flick wants his players to approach the match with the same intensity that has helped them win their opening nine games. He acknowledged, however, that every fixture presents different challenges and that Barcelona must adapt to their opponents.
“I am very happy when I see them training. There is a fantastic atmosphere, but every match is different. Tomorrow will not be an easy game. We have shown who we are. It is a privilege to be here at this moment, but in football things can change very quickly.”
The German also praised the mentality within his squad, pointing to the experience of his World Cup-winning players as evidence that success has not diminished their ambition.
“We have this hunger and I share it with the players. I have many world champions and, when they returned, we saw that they still have that hunger. It is not easy. We have to work hard, and that is what we are doing every day.
“It is an incredible situation to be in, but it is a very long journey.”
Gabriel Jesus is available for selection after making an encouraging start following his arrival at Barcelona. The Brazilian scored in the recent victory over Getafe, but Flick stopped short of confirming whether he would start in Istanbul.
“He is ready to play. If he plays, we do not know yet; we will decide tomorrow after this afternoon’s training. I am delighted to have him in our team. It was a little surprise. He is a high-level footballer, very good for us.”
Flick also refused to be drawn into questions about Real Madrid, including the controversy surrounding their complaints about refereeing and Vinícius Júnior.
“I hope that one day they learn that I do not answer questions about other teams. We are going to play against Galatasaray. We have to respect this team, which has a fantastic structure. This is not the time to talk about others.”
Asked about Vinícius, Flick replied that the subject could be raised again in a couple of weeks, ahead of the Clásico.
For Barcelona, the immediate priority is maintaining their momentum in Europe. Flick knows that the atmosphere and Galatasaray’s forward threat will demand concentration, collective defending and the same hunger that has driven the team’s early-season results.