Flick a hot contender again for Barca coaching job

Former Bayern Munich and Germany coach Hansi Flick has emerged again as a top candidate for the Barcelona job, according to Spanish and international news reports, reported dpa.

Xavi Hernandez is Barca coach at the moment. He said in January he would step down after the season, changed his mind in April by signing until 2025, but now reportedly faces the axe after remarks on Barca's financial situation and a not competitive squad which have angered the club leadership.

Flick, 59, was reportedly a candidate from the beginning. He was lately linked with a return to Bayern and with Chelsea but is said to have turned the English side down because Barca were his priority.

El Mundo Deportivo paper said that Flick has held talks with Barca sporting director Deco and that he was their preferred candidate.

Flick became Bayern coach in autumn 2019, first on an interim basis, and led them to an astonishing seven titles: two Bundesligas, German Cup, German Super Cup, Champions League, European Super Cup and Club World Cup.

The run to to the Champions League title included an 8-2 thrashing of Barca in the quarter-finals.

He succeeded Joachim Löw as Germany coach in 2021 but that spell was not successful as Germany went out in the group stage of the 2022 World Cup and Flick had to go last autumn after further poor results.