Ex-Manchester United manager played key role in Hansi Flick’s arrival at Barcelona | OneFootball

Even if Barcelona are disappointed after their elimination from the Champions League against Inter, the atmosphere is vastly different to where it was this time a year ago. That is in no small part down to the arrival of Hansi Flick, who proved to be an inspired choice, turning around their fortunes and improving numerous players.

Flick’s name first began to surface around January of 2024 amid doubts over Xavi Hernandez’s tenure. Those links only strengthened after Xavi announced his resignation at the end of the month. Despite initially ratifying the Catalan manager, late in May Flick met with Director of Football Deco and assistant Bojan Krkic, and convinced both he was the man for the job.

Ralf Rangnick played key role in Hansi Flick appointment

However Flick owes the fact that he had a foot in the door to compatriot and former Manchester United manager Ralf Rangnick. Around 2020, before President Joan Laporta returned to power, he began assessing potential candidates for the job. Barca Reservat explain that Laporta had become enamoured with the ‘German school’ of football, and his interest was piqued after he heard Rangnick praising Johan Cruyff in an interview.

Laporta would meet with Rangnick, and over the space of a couple of hours discussed football with the current Austria boss, dubbed the father of the Red Bull empire in football. He quizzed Rangnick on Thomas Tuchel, Jurgen Klopp, Julian Nagelsmann and Hansi Flick, all of which have been influenced by Rangnick, and he told him that Flick was the most complete of all four of them.

Timing was crucial for Flick

That conversation took place some years ago, while Flick was at Bayern Munich. When Ronald Koeman was sacked in 2022, Laporta was already keen on appointing him, but Flick was already engaged with the German national team, thus Laporta turned his attentions to Xavi. With Flick available and Xavi on his way out, Laporta finally got his man last June. Flick is now set to sign a contract extension with Barcelona, keeping him at the club until 2027.