Barcelona Sack Club Legend Xavi, Appoints Hansi Flick As New Head Coach
BARCELONA: In an unexpected move, FC Barcelona has appointed Hansi Flick as their new manager.
The German coach, who had previously managed German giants Bayern Munich and the German National Team, has signed a two-year deal at the Camp Nou.
The German tactician will replace Barca legend Xavi Hernandez, who was sacked just a month after the Catalan giants persuaded him to stay on as manager, after he initially planned to part ways at the end of this campaign.
"FC Barcelona and Hansi Flick have reached an agreement for the German to become men's first-team football coach until 30 June 2026," a club statement read.
Notably, Hansi Flick was fired as the head coach of the German National Team after suffering a shocking 4-1 defeat at the hands of Japan in a friendly match on the back of a disappointing group-stage exit at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Flick had served as the assistant coach of Joachim Low when Germany lifted the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
He also tasted success during his two-year stint at Bayern Munich, winning back-to-back Bundesliga titles and the 2020 Champions League.
Speaking in a video posted by Barca on X, Flick said: "First of all I would like to say thank you to everyone (involved). It's a big honour and also a dream for me to sign my contract here in Barcelona, to work for this amazing club, and I'm happy to start."
"The club is unbelievable. The hours I'm here in Barcelona, it's amazing because everyone here in the club loves this club and tries to give their best so they have success," he added.
"The philosophy they have is similar to mine - ball possession and really attacking football, these are the things I love," the German manager further added.
The 59-year-old dynamic coach will take over the reigns from outgoing manager Xavi who was appointed in November 2021 where he won 25 major trophies as a player and left the club as a legend.
Xavi came in during a time when the club was going through a rough patch as Barcelona were really struggling to get their mojo back.
During his stay at Barca, Xavi managed to rejuvenate the club as he steered the team from ninth place in LaLiga to the runners-up spot.
The Blaugrana were crowned champions in his first full season as the manager of the club. However, Barca put on a poor show this season round as they were dethroned by arch-rivals Real Madrid in La Liga, ousted by PSG in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League and they were also deprived of any domestic cups, thereby marking a trophyless season.
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