Barcelona could overlook Hansi Flick in their search for a new head coach, reports in Spain suggest, after sporting director Deco told local radio that Xavi’s successor must have experience of working in different countries.
Current boss Xavi has already revealed he will stand down from his post at the end of the season and Barca are now in the market for another manager.
Flick has been heavily linked with the role and would be easier for Barcelona to attain given he is out of work – he was sacked by the Germany national team back in September.
However, MARCA report that Flick’s lack of experience outside of his home country will be to his detriment in the race to fill the Barcelona hot-seat, with the club hoping to appoint a manager who has been tested in various leagues.
Prior to his unsuccessful Germany spell, Flick enjoyed a trophy-laden two-year stretch in charge of Bayern Munich, notably leading them to Champions League glory in 2020, famously defeating Barcelona 8-2 in the quarter-finals.
In a recent interview with Radio Catalunya, sporting director Deco suggested there is an importance on the new manager having been tried and tested all across the world.
“Regardless of its style, Barca has a football and a way of playing that the coaches know. I didn’t have any German coaches, I had Dutch, Italian, Brazilian…nationality doesn’t matter,” he said. “It does matter that they know the football of other countries and has trained in other places. Quality, ambition also matters…there is no robot portrait.”
While this could prove damaging to Flick’s hopes of securing the Barcelona job, it stands to boost the chances of Brighton & Hove Albion’s Roberto De Zerbi and outgoing Bayern head coach Thomas Tuchel.
De Zerbi has proven hugely successful in the Premier League having previously managed in Italy and Ukraine, while Tuchel has won honours in Germany, France and England.
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