Barcelona officially introduced Hansi Flick as their new manager in a private ceremony held at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper on Thursday.
The German coach took over from Xavi in May and has been working with the team since early July.
The club is preparing to embark on their preseason tour by the end of the month.
During the press conference, Barcelona president Joan Laporta expressed his gratitude to the former coaching staff, “We always put Barça ahead of any particular interest, of any player or coach. I want to thank Xavi and his staff for the good job of taking the team at a time of maximum difficulty.”
Flick has signed a one-year contract with an option for an additional year.
He highlighted areas for improvement in Lamine Yamal’s game, despite praising the young player’s remarkable performances at Euro 2024.
“Lamine Yamal’s ‘unbelievable’ performances at Euro 2024 were noted by Flick, who believes there is still room for growth in the 17-year-old’s game.
Yamal was instrumental in Spain’s record fourth title win at the tournament, contributing to five goals.
He also had a standout season with Barcelona, scoring seven goals and providing ten assists across 50 games.
“He’s done a really great job over the last year,” Flick said. “He’s improved a lot and step by step he is continuing at this level. What he did at the Euros was unbelievable, but now, big players also continue to bring their performances and it is necessary for him to stay with both legs on the ground. He’s a great guy, I got to speak with him when he arrived and he’s now in this team and he can give us those great moments. But he can also improve and also he can make things better. This is our part but he is on a really fantastic path.”
At 59, Flick brings a wealth of experience, having previously managed the German national team and secured seven titles during a two-year tenure with Bayern Munich.
Barcelona, who finished second to Real Madrid in the 2023-24 season and failed to defend their league title, are looking to bounce back under Flick’s guidance.
While managing expectations for his first season, Flick acknowledged the club’s ambition, “LaLiga is an important competition and I think it’s good to work hard before you speak about our big goal. This club, they always want to play for titles so this is why I am here, why we are always here. Give me some more weeks and I can answer you better.
“This is my job. I am a coach and I am the coach of Barcelona so I know what happens. The results are very important but I think at the end, we want to play well of course, but we also want to give everything on the pitch.
“When we are in the match, we have to be well-prepared and then the players have to show the hard work on the pitch – for me that is crucial.”
