BARCELONA, May 29, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - Barcelona appointed Hansi Flick as coach 
on Wednesday on a deal until June 30, 2026, after sacking Xavi Hernandez last 
week.

"FC Barcelona and Hansi Flick have reached an agreement for the German to 
become men's first team football coach until 30 June 2026," said the club in 
a statement.

"The new coach has signed a contract at the Club's offices accompanied by FC 
Barcelona president Joan Laporta."

Flick, who led German giants Bayern Munich to a historic sextuple in 2020, 
became the first coach ever to be sacked by the German national team in 
September 2023 after a string of bad results.

The 59-year-old occasionally watched Barcelona matches this season from the 
presidential box and was linked with the job after Xavi said in January he 
would depart at the end of the campaign.

Barcelona and Xavi decided jointly he would stay for next season after all in 
April but then Laporta changed his mind and sacked the former midfield great 
last week.

"It won't be easy at all -- they will suffer and they will need patience 
because it's a really difficult job," Xavi warned his successor last week 
after winning his final match in charge against Sevilla in La Liga.

"The only thing that can save them is winning, whether they have been part of 
the club or not."

Barcelona finished second in La Liga this season and were knocked out of the 
Champions League in the quarter-finals by Paris Saint-Germain.

Spanish media said Laporta was enraged by Xavi's comments earlier in May when 
he highlighted the economic difficulties Barca had when competing against 
Spanish champions Real Madrid and other European elite.