Hansi Flick was not exactly welcomed with open arms at FC Barcelona a year ago, but the former national coach has breathed new life into the Blaugrana. Now comes the reward.
As FC Barcelona announced on Wednesday evening, Hansi Flick’s contract, which was originally due to expire on June 30, 2026, has been extended by one year until June 30, 2027.
Flick’s start in the Catalan metropolis was anything but easy. On the one hand, there were the adverse circumstances surrounding the heavily indebted FC Barcelona, whose coffers were – and still are – so empty that star signing Dani Olmo could not be registered. On the other hand, Flick himself was not exactly welcomed with open arms. He had no previous experience abroad, did not speak the language, and his work with the German national team, despite a historically strong start, proved not to be sustainable enough.
When the season opener in the Trofeu Joan Gamper against AS Monaco ended in a crushing 0-3 defeat, Flick’s failure at FCB seemed inevitable. But everything turned out quite differently.
Flick breathed new life into the extremely young team, which was struggling due to financial constraints, with a radical overhaul. He prescribed an attacking style with an extremely high defensive line and aggressive pressing. It was typical Flick high-risk football, which he readjusted after a minor crisis at the turn of the year, but remained true to his basic playing style.
Three titles and an epic semi-final against Inter
The reward for his persistent efforts: four victories over arch-rivals Real Madrid in one season, as well as three titles in the Supercopa, Copa del Rey and the league championship. Although the Champions League semi-final was the end of the road after two epic battles with Inter Milan (3-3, 3-4 a.e.t.), the performances in a total of 210 minutes thrilled soccer fans around the globe and left only one conclusion: Flick’s team embodies world class.
At national level, Flick has already succeeded in combining this world-class level with success. And his contract extension proves that, after only twelve months, the FCB bosses have confidence in his ability to lead his young, hungry, and ambitious team to international triumphs in the near future.
