Barcelona has recently made headlines with the announcement of Hansi Flick as the new manager of the club. The former Bayern Munich and Germany coach has signed a two-year contract with the club, replacing Xavi Hernández who managed his final game with Barcelona last Sunday after being sacked.
Xavi Hernández, after winning 2-1 at Sevilla in his final match with the club, has agreed to forgo the final year of his salary which was reported to be around €12 million. However, he will receive a substantial part of the €2.5 million he paid from his own pocket to secure his exit from his previous job with Al Sadd in 2021. Additionally, the six members of his backroom staff will also be remunerated for the final year of their contracts at a cost of approximately €4 million to Barcelona.
Hansi Flick, who has been out of work since September 2023 when he was fired by the German national team following a disappointing group-stage exit at the 2022 World Cup, has had a successful coaching career. Before his stint with the German team, Flick achieved great success at Bayern Munich, winning the Champions League as part of a historic treble in 2020. Barcelona has had a long-standing interest in the German coach, with talks reportedly ongoing since Xavi announced his resignation in January.
Xavi’s departure came as a surprise to many, especially after leading Barcelona to a second-place finish in LaLiga in his first season in charge and winning the LaLiga title in the following season. However, a trophyless campaign this time around led to a change in direction for the club. Flick’s chances of landing the Barcelona job seemed to have ended when Xavi decided to fulfill his contract, but events took a different turn. Remarks made by Xavi about the club’s financial situation did not sit well with Barcelona president, Joan Laporta, leading to Xavi’s dismissal. This paved the way for Flick to take over as the new manager.
Barcelona’s appointment of Hansi Flick as the new manager marks an important turning point for the club. With a rich coaching history and a proven track record of success, Flick brings a wealth of experience to the team. It will be interesting to see how Flick’s leadership style and tactics impact Barcelona’s performance in the upcoming seasons.
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