Barcelona, a club with history and a legacy of success, has appointed Hansi Flick as their new coach. This ushers in a new era for the club. The question is: can he achieve the same as he did at Bayern Munich? Will he change the possession brand of football, or will he continue with what has been there? All these questions and more will be answered soon enough; time will tell.
Hansi Flick is a seasoned manager; he is a tactical master and can inspire players to perform at the highest level. Under his leadership at Bayern Munich, he led them to a treble in 2020, winning the Bundesliga title, the German Cup, and the coveted UEFA Champions League.
He only had one season with Bayern Munich and later went to coach the German national team. Although he has not won any trophies with the national team, he has had a good run.
Barcelona poses a new challenge, and it is different from what he had with Bayern Munich. As he is inheriting a young squad that is promising, there are also financial woes that have led Larpota to fire Xavi because he talked about them to the public.
Hansi Flick is coming to a new league and a team that plays a different brand of football. This further increases the challenge as the young players will take time to adapt to his tactical style. Barcelona plays possession-based football, while Hansi Flick's style is gegenpressing and possession-based football style, which he named Flicki Flaka.
But was this a good road that Barcelona took? Is Hansi Flick the best replacement for Xavi?
While both managers have different philosophies, they have both been successful. Xavi is a devout follower of tiki-taka, a possession-based style of play, and that is Barcelona's playing style. On the other hand, Flick is famous for his German gegenpressing style, which, as mentioned, is based on quick passes and pressing.
Xavi's first season as a Barcelona manager saw him win the league. On the other hand, Flick won the treble with Bayern in 2020. While Flick has been a manager since the year 2000, Xavi just started coaching in 2019. So experience-wise, Flick is more experienced than Xavi, and this experience might guide Barcelona to a treble or Champions League glory if everything goes well.
Hansi Flick's Road Ahead
The task ahead for Flick is not an easy one. The gap between Barcelona and other European elites needs to be bridged. This is a process that might not yield immediate results, plus it needs money. While La Liga is the platform on which he needs to prove himself, it will take time.
However, Flick is not new to high-pressure environments. His success at Bayern Munich, a club with equally demanding expectations, demonstrates his ability to thrive under pressure. He will use this experience to navigate and lead Barcelona back to its glory days.
Flick might be the man who bridges the gap that Barcelona has with rivals like Real Madrid when it comes to squad strength and experience.
This is only possible if Barcelona finds solutions to their financial woes and the squad gets used to a new style of playing, which will take some time. We cannot expect Hansi Flick to redo what he did at Bayern in a short period of time, but we believe that this can happen if he is given time and the resources needed.
About the Author
Wopicho is a Ugandan writer with a passion for football. His support for both Manchester United and
the African giant Al Ahly runs deep. And his love for the African game found its voice in FootyAfrica. He is the founder and main contributor to the blog. It remains dedicated to showcasing the continent's talented players, electrifying atmosphere, and rising stars. Wopicho brings African football to life for fans worldwide.