Barcelona has named Hansi Flick as their new head coach, signing a contract with him until June 30, 2026, after the club parted ways with Xavi Hernandez last week.
“FC Barcelona and Hansi Flick have reached an agreement for the German to become men’s first team football coach until June 30, 2026,” the club announced in a statement. “The new coach signed the contract at the Club’s offices alongside FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta.”
Flick, who famously led Bayern Munich to a sextuple in 2020, was dismissed by the German national team in September 2023 following a series of poor results. This made him the first coach to be sacked by Germany.
The 59-year-old had been seen attending several Barcelona matches this season from the presidential box and was rumored to be in line for the job after Xavi announced in January that he would leave at the end of the campaign.
In April, it was initially decided that Xavi would remain for the next season, but President Laporta later reversed this decision, leading to Xavi’s dismissal last week.
“It won’t be easy at all—they will suffer and they will need patience because it’s a really difficult job,” Xavi cautioned his successor after his final match, a victory against Sevilla in La Liga. “The only thing that can save them is winning, whether they have been part of the club or not.”
Barcelona concluded this season in second place in La Liga and were eliminated from the Champions League in the quarter-finals by Paris Saint-Germain.
Reports from Spanish media suggested that Laporta was furious over Xavi’s comments in May, where he pointed out the financial struggles Barcelona faces when competing against Spanish champions Real Madrid and other top European clubs.
