Hansi Flick appointed new Barcelona manager: Ex-Bayern Munich, Germany coach signs deal until 2026

Hansi Flick is the new coach of FC Barcelona, ​​the Spanish giants announced on Wednesday. The former Bayern Munich and Germany coach will take charge of the Blaugrana following the departure of Xavi Hernandez, after signing a contract valid until the summer of 2026, the team confirmed in a statement.

“FC Barcelona and Hansi Flick have reached an agreement for the German to become the coach of the main men’s football team until June 30, 2026. The new coach signed a contract at the club’s offices accompanied by the president of FC Barcelona, ​​​​Joan Laporta; first vice-president responsible for the sports area, Rafa Yuste and the Club’s sporting director, Anderson Luís de Souza, known as Deco.”

Barcelona decided to move on of Xavi’s management and decided to appoint the German coach who will lead a team outside his country for the first time. Barcelona confirmed the agreement with Xavi to leave the club just minutes before announcing the new coach.

“FC Barcelona and Xavi Hernández Creus have reached an agreement to terminate the contract that the coach and his team had with the Club until the end of the 2024/25 season. The Club wishes to publicly thank Xavi and the rest of its technical team for your commitment, dedication and generosity, and for your help in reaching an agreement to terminate the contract. Furthermore, we wish you success in the future, both personally and professionally.”

Flick began his managerial career in 2006, when he became Jurgen Low’s assistant coach with the German national team following Jurgen Klinsmann’s resignation. Low and Flick led Germany through a rebuilding phase and then to the European Championship final in 2008. In 2010, the team reached the semi-final of the World Cup, the same stage as the 2012 European Championship, before being crowned world champions in 2014 in Brazil.

Following tournament success, Flick stepped down as assistant coach and took up a role as sporting director at the German Football Association before returning to Hoffenheim in 2017 as sporting director. In the summer of 2019, Flick arrived at Bayern Munich as Nico Kovac’s assistant. The Bavarian club fired their Croatian coach after just a few months in charge and Flick was promoted to interim first-team coach, a decision that would change the course of Bayern’s history. After a good start, Bayern CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge confirmed Flick in the role until the end of the season. Flick recorded 22 wins in his first 25 games in charge, surpassing Pep Guardiola’s tally of 21 wins in his first 25 matches. The season ended with the Munich club achieving a historic treble which included an 8-2 defeat to Barcelona in the Champions League at the hands of Flick’s team. The German coach was awarded the UEFA Coach of the Year award.

After Bayern, Flick became coach of the German national team in 2021. After eight wins in eight games in charge, Hansi Flick’s team lost to Japan at the 2022 Qatar World Cup and were eliminated from the tournament at the qualifying stage. groups. After more negative results, months later Flick was fired as Germany coach. The Flick era in Barcelona is about to begin.

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