Barcelona has appointed former Bayern Munich manager Hansi Flick as their new head coach on a two-year contract. Flick, dismissed by Germany in September 2023, replaces Xavi, who was sacked last week.
Flick previously managed Bayern Munich, where he led the team to a treble in 2020, winning the Bundesliga, German Cup, and Champions League. Notably, Barcelona forward Robert Lewandowski, 35, played under Flick at Bayern for two seasons.
“It’s a tremendous honor and a dream to sign my contract here,” Flick said on Wednesday. “We achieved significant success at Bayern Munich, and my ambition for titles remains strong. I believe we can accomplish a lot together at Barcelona. Their philosophy of possession and attacking football aligns with mine.”
Former Barcelona manager Xavi, who was dismissed a month after being assured he would stay, noted that his successor would “suffer” in the role. Xavi led Barcelona to La Liga and Spanish Super Cup victories in his first full season but finished 10 points behind La Liga champions Real Madrid this season.
In a statement on Wednesday, Barcelona described Flick as “a man well-known for his teams’ high pressing, intense, and daring style of play, which has brought him great success at both club and international levels, winning nearly everything there is to win in football.” Flick has been out of work since his dismissal by Germany eight months ago.