News Focus
- Thiago Alcantara will depart Barcelona’s backroom staff when the season ends
- Hansi Flick confirmed the news and praised the former Spain midfielder’s professionalism
- The duo first worked together at Bayern Munich several years ago
- Match analyst Dr. Stephan Nopp may also leave the Catalan giants this summer
- Flick wants to recruit a new fitness coach to fix the club’s injury problems
Barcelona are preparing for major changes behind the scenes at Camp Nou. Hansi Flick has confirmed that Thiago Alcantara will exit the club this summer after one year as part of the first-team coaching setup.
The former Liverpool and Bayern Munich midfielder joined Flick’s staff ahead of the current campaign. He initially helped the German boss settle in by translating and explaining tactical ideas to the squad. However, he briefly returned to England for tax reasons before the first match of the season. He came back last summer in an official capacity, where he mentored young players and helped establish Flick’s playing style.
Thiago’s departure became clear during the final training session of the season. The Barcelona squad gave him “the bumps” – a traditional send-off where players throw a teammate into the air – to mark his exit.
Flick spoke about the situation on Friday before the clash with Valencia. He shared memories of their time together at Bayern Munich, where he first managed the talented playmaker. “I told the staff and players about my history with Thiago. When I became head coach at Bayern, I had to drop him from the starting eleven. It was difficult because he was a world-class talent,” Flick explained.
The manager praised Thiago’s character during that difficult period. “He showed incredible attitude and mentality. That is why I value him so highly. He has helped me greatly here at Barça, and over the past two years, he has been amazing. We will miss him, but I respect his personal plans. I hope he returns someday because football needs men like him.”
Thiago might not be the only coach leaving Catalonia. Reports suggest that match analyst Dr. Stephan Nopp will also exit the club. Furthermore, Flick hopes to appoint an additional fitness coach to reduce the number of injuries suffered by his squad next term.