FC Barcelona are looking for a suitable successor to head coach Xavi. Former national team coach Hansi Flick’s change of advisor has Spanish media optimistic that the 58-year-old could indeed be drawn to Catalonia
FC Barcelona are threatened with a title-less season. The Catalans have already bowed out of the Copa del Rey, lost the Supercopa final to Real – and are also trailing their arch-rivals in La Liga by ten points after 24 games. There will definitely be a change of coach in the summer; Xavi made his departure public at the end of January.
But who will succeed the once brilliant midfield director? There are two main names that are persistently being bandied about. That of Brighton’s successful coach Roberto de Zerbi, who Pep Guardiola has also raved about in the past (“One of the most influential coaches of the last 20 years”), and that of former national team coach Hansi Flick.
The Flick personnel issue is particularly exciting due to the current situation. As reported by Sky and confirmed by the Barcelona-affiliated Mundo Deportivo, the former Bayern coach has changed his advisor. In future, he will be represented by Israeli agent Pini Zahavi
Zahavi has an excellent relationship with Laporta
The latter, in turn, has an excellent relationship with Barcelona president Joan Laporta, which Mundo Deportivo and Marca see as a “hint”. Zahavi had already arranged the deal between Robert Lewandowski and the Catalans
Flick, who was relieved of his duties as national coach on September 10 of last year, is also said to have received inquiries from the Premier League. Munich could also be thinking about bringing the former coach back if the project with Thomas Tuchel is indeed declared a failure.
