BARCELONA —
Barcelona introduced on Wednesday the hiring of former Germany and Bayern Munich coach Hansi Flick as a alternative for Xavi Hernández.
The German coach signed a two-year contract with Barça, which introduced his signing minutes following confirming that it had reached an settlement with Xavi “for the separation of the contract between the coach and his employees”, which expired on the finish of the following season.
“It’s a nice honor and in addition a dream for me to signal a contract for Barcelona to work with this unbelievable workforce,” Flick, 59, informed the workforce’s press.
Flick, 59, had been with no workforce since his dismissal from the German nationwide workforce in September final 12 months. He had beforehand coached Bayern for 2 seasons by which he gained the Champions League and two consecutive Bundesliga titles.
“I gained some titles with Bayern Munich and my urge for food for titles is absolutely huge. I want to proceed on this path with Barcelona. We will do it collectively,” Flick mentioned.
The brand new coach referred to the truth that he and the membership share the identical philosophy of ball possession and assault. “These are issues I really like.”
I reward the combination of youth and expertise that characterizes the workforce.
“Barcelona has probably the greatest youth groups on the planet and a great mixture of skilled gamers and proficient younger gamers. We’ve to work with them to allow them to enhance. That’s our position.”
Flick was in control of Bayern when the German squad crushed Barcelona 8-2 within the Champions League quarterfinals in 2020.
Hernández, one of many legends of the Barça membership as a participant, leaves the workforce following ending the season in second place within the League, far behind Actual Madrid. Her final recreation was on Sunday, the 2-1 victory over Sevilla on the final date of the competitors.
His departure comes a month following the 44-year-old former footballer reversed his resolution to go away the reins of the workforce in the summertime, one thing he had introduced in January. In April he justified his change of coronary heart by claiming that the workforce was taking part in higher and that he believed he may bounce once more following a titleless season.
At the moment, the president of Barcelona, Joan Laporta, publicly celebrated Xavi’s resolution. However, apparently, final week he was displeased with some statements by the coach by which he said that Barça’s poor monetary scenario made it virtually inconceivable for him to compete towards Actual Madrid and the opposite huge European golf equipment.
Flick’s Bayern gained the Champions League following defeating Paris Saint-Germain weeks following crushing Barcelona, inside a powerful streak of titles within the midst of the coronavirus pandemic that included the Bundesliga, the German Cup and the Membership World Cup.
Till now, that two-year interval in Munich was Flick’s solely expertise on the bench of a top-level membership. He beforehand acted as assistant coach of the Germany workforce that gained the World Cup in 2014.
Flick left Bayern to teach his nation’s nationwide workforce in 2021, however was fired final 12 months following shedding 4-1 in a pleasant towards Japan, his sixth straight recreation with no victory. The workforce’s elimination within the group stage of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar was a significant factor and followers had been involved that his fashion may alienate key gamers.
A documentary following Germany in 2022 included scenes of Flick making an attempt to encourage constructive considering amongst gamers who appeared bored or distant.
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Related Press writers Steve Douglas and James Ellingworth contributed to this report.
