Barcelona appoint Flick as coach

After firing Xavi Hernandez last week, Barcelona named Hansi Flick as their new coach on Wednesday, with a contract that runs through June 30, 2026.

The club released a statement saying, "FC Barcelona and Hansi Flick have reached an agreement for the German to become men's first team football coach until 30 June 2026."
At the Club's offices, the new coach and FC Barcelona President Joan Laporta signed a contract.

After leading German powerhouse Bayern Munich to an unprecedented sextuple in 2020, Flick became the first coach to be fired by the German national team in September 2023 due to a run of poor performances.
This season, the 59-year-old has occasionally watched Barcelona games from the presidential box. He was connected to the position after Xavi stated in January he would depart at the end of the campaign.

In April, Xavi and Barcelona came to a mutual decision that he would stay for the following season. However, Laporta had a change of heart and fired the legendary midfield player last week.
After winning his final La Liga game as manager last week against Sevilla, Xavi cautioned his successor, "It won't be easy at all— they will suffer and they will need patience because it's a really difficult job."

"Whether or not they have been a member of the club, winning is the only thing that can save them."

This season, Barcelona placed second in La Liga and lost to Paris Saint-Germain in the quarterfinals of the Champions League.

According to Spanish media, Laporta was furious with Xavi's remarks from earlier in May when he emphasised the economic difficulties Barca had when competing against Spanish champions Real Madrid and other European elite.