Barcelona’s managerial contender, Hansi Flick, is reportedly in the process of learning Spanish and remains open to the prospect of succeeding Xavi, as per a recent report.
With Xavi set to step down at the end of the 2023/24 season, Barcelona is actively searching for a new head coach. The club has a tradition of appointing managers with past ties to the team as players, with ex-midfielder Thiago Motta and former defender Rafa Marquez being among the names linked to the role this time. Motta, currently coaching Bologna in Serie A, is in contention, while Marquez is at the helm of Barcelona’s B team.
Hansi Flick, a high-profile candidate, left his position as the Germany national team manager in September 2023 and is currently without a managerial role. Christian Falk of BILD reports that Flick is learning Spanish in preparation for his return to coaching, and the Barcelona job “would appeal to him.” He is described as actively “looking for a new challenge.”
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Flick faced a downturn in his reputation after an unsuccessful stint with the German national team, winning only 12 of his 25 matches and overseeing a disappointing 2022 FIFA World Cup campaign that saw Germany eliminated in the group stage. His tenure ended with a 4-1 home loss to Japan, making him the first Germany manager to be sacked from the national team job.
Before taking on the Germany job, Flick enjoyed significant success with Bayern Munich, leading them to a treble in his one-and-a-half-year tenure after taking over from Niko Kovac in the middle of the 2019/20 season. Bayern retained the Bundesliga title in Flick’s only full campaign as head coach.