Barcelona president a huge admirer of 36-year-old manager, tried to hire him twice

Hansi Flick is set to oversee his first training session as Barcelona’s new manager later this month and the team is set for an exciting new dynamic. The managerial situation, however, was far from clear even just two months ago.

From Xavi’s continuity being announced to Joan Laporta’s decision to sack the Spanish tactician, it is still unclear what transpired behind the scenes in Catalonia.

In the end, Flick stood to gain from the situation but he was, ironically, not the president’s top choice.

Laporta’s German dream

As revealed in a recent report via SPORT, current German National Team manager Julian Nagelsmann has always been Laporta’s top candidate to take over the reins in Catalonia.

In fact, the president has had an eye on the coach for several years now.

When Laporta arrived for his second term as president in 2021, Nagelsmann was his best bet to replace Ronald Koeman on the sidelines.

Julian Nagelsmann has an admirer in Joan Laporta. (Photo by SASCHA SCHUERMANN/AFP via Getty Images)

The president attempted to secure Nagelsmann, but the coach opted to sign for Bayern Munich, ironically replacing Hansi Flick.

He was soon sacked by the Bavarian club for a plethora of reasons and took over as the coach of the national team. When Laporta approached him earlier this year to replace Xavi, he understandably refused as he prioritised the ongoing European Championships.

An option for the future

Laporta is said to be specifically a fan of Nagelsmann’s personality, style of play and management of youth, and thus, he cannot be ruled out for the future.

As it stands, he is expected to stay with the German side until the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States of America, and the future could hold a chapter in Catalonia in store.

For now, Barcelona and Laporta have their eyes fixated on the Hansi Flick chapter that is set to begin at the club in a few weeks. Should the German coach succeed at the club, there may not be a need for a new manager in…

Source link : https://barcauniversal.com/barcelona-president-a-huge-admirer-of-36-year-old-manager-tried-to-hire-him-twice/

Author : Adithya Eshwarla

Publish date : 2024-07-03 17:08:52

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