Hansi Flick will be the new coach of Barcelona. The German coach landed in the Catalan capital this Tuesday, as did his agent, Pini Zahavi. Both are staying at the Majestic Hotel on Paseo de Gracia, protected from onlookers and journalists, by the security of the Barça club. Its official announcement, however, is long overdue. First, Barcelona had to close the separation of Xavi Hernández. After the representatives of the Catalan coach and those responsible for the Barça club could not meet on Monday, Deco, Barça’s football director, and Fernando Solanas, Xavi’s agent, met this Tuesday morning at the City offices Sporty. The cost of firing the technician and his staff It was valued at 20 million euros, 16 for Xavi and four for his group of collaborators. The pact was closed for nine million. Barça, in this way, saved 11 million. “If I didn’t continue, I wasn’t going to earn a single euro. The president knows it. The money from my contract was for the next coach,” Xavi had warned. And he kept his word.
“There was no negotiation,” explains a Barcelona source. When Xavi left Qatar, in November 2021, his departure from Al-Saad cost four million in total, between the termination clause and taxes. This amount, at the time, was paid by Xavi. After the conversation this Tuesday, Barcelona agreed to return that money to the coach. In addition, the Barça club paid the four million settlement that corresponded to the staff, under the argument that they have a different economic situation than Xavi. And, on the other hand, Barcelona had to pay an extra million to the intermediary. In total, firing Xavi a month after rectifying him in office cost nine million. “What coach forgives something when he was kicked out?” They ask from the coach’s entourage. “At Barça they opened the cava!” highlight the same sources. Now it’s time to celebrate Hansi Flick.
The German will be Joan Laporta’s third coach in his second stage as Barcelona president since he took office in March 2021. In his previous cycle, from 2003 to 2010, he only had two: Frank Rijkaard (2003 to 2008) and Pep Guardiola (2008 to 2010). Upon his return, in this second stage, the first coach he had was inherited from Josep Maria Bartomeu: Ronald Koeman. Laporta was never convinced by the Dutchman and, after asking him for time to find a coach (he did not succeed), he fired him in November of the same year after losing to Rayo. Laporta’s second bet was Xavi Hernández, another club legend. Although he was never convinced about hiring him — “He lacks experience,” he argued — Xavi was a perfect shield for the Board. He has lasted two and a half seasons.
Once the agreement with Xavi was closed, Barcelona began to finalize the agreement with Hansi Flick: a two-year contract (until the end of Joan Laporta’s term) and will have a salary of around 3.5 million. The German coach, who coached his team in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, will take charge of the Barça team’s first team after almost a year of inactivity on the bench. Previously, he had worked as a collaborator of Joachim Löw in the Mannschaft world champion in Brazil 2014. Flick’s achievements include the six titles he won with Bayern Munich in one year and the award for best coach of the 2019-2020 season, awarded by UEFA.
“You can see that he is a coach,” they highlighted in the sports area. After a first approach with Deco and Bojan a week ago in London, Flick will meet again with the director of football to plan the next season. “He really likes the group of players there. He believes there is a good team to compete. Now we have to analyze which players can continue, how their contracts are and based on the fair play financial that we can obtain (the club hopes to close the pact with Nike and aspires to resell Barça Visions) analyze among all the signings to be made to complete the squad,” they explain from the sports area. There is a name that no one doubts now: Lewandowski. While Xavi wanted Barça’s franchise player out of his group, Flick is delighted with the Polish striker. Both share the same agent, Pini Zahavi, a close friend of Laporta.
In fact, Laporta had planned a meal with Zahavi and Flick this Tuesday at Botafumeiro that was postponed until the evening. After Xavi forgave, she already warms up to Flick. And Laporta celebrates it.
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