He was with Schmidt at Benfica, now he's off to... Barcelona | OneFootball

Yann-Benjamin Kugel is the latest addition to Barcelona’s coaching staff. The fitness coach, who was part of Roger Schmidt’s staff during the German manager’s time at Benfica, will now work alongside Hansi Flick at the Catalan club, beginning a new stage of his career at one of the most prestigious names in European football.

The German professional was part of Benfica’s coaching structure between 2022 and 2024, accompanying Roger Schmidt from his arrival at the Estádio da Luz. During that period, Kugel played an important role in the physical preparation of the Benfica squad, contributing to a highly successful season that ended with the club winning the national championship in the coaching staff’s very first year in Portugal.

At Benfica, Roger Schmidt led the team in 115 official matches, recording 80 wins, 20 draws and just 15 defeats. Under the German coach, Benfica won the Portuguese League in the 2022/23 season and lifted another trophy in 2023/24 by winning the Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira.

After leaving the Luz, Yann-Benjamin Kugel sought new challenges and now returns to the elite of European football by joining Hansi Flick’s coaching staff. The fitness coach thus joins the Barcelona project, where his mission will be to help prepare the first team in a season in which the Catalans aim to compete for every title.

The move marks another important step in Kugel’s career, as he leaves behind his spell at Benfica with a national title and a Super Cup on his résumé. The former member of Benfica’s staff now becomes part of one of the most high-profile projects in world football, taking with him the experience gained during the two seasons he worked at the Luz.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.