Barcelona star absolves Hansi Flick of any blame for long-term injury | OneFootball

In recent weeks, the topic of Hansi Flick’s future as Barcelona manager has been speculation upon intensively. Joan Laporta confirms plans for the German, whose current deal ends in 2027, to be offered the chance to sign a contract extension in the coming months, as the club seeks to secure his stay for at least another 12 months.

One player that is desperate for Flick to stay is Marc Bernal, who has benefitted from the faith that has been shown in him. As per Sport, the teenage midfielder spoke on his manager, and specifically, his conduct during the time when he was out with an ACL injury.

“Hansi is a very close person. As a player, it’s something that is appreciated from a coach who lets you express yourself as you want. I felt during the injury that he acted as close support, and he gave me advice. He told me to be patient, that everything was going to come sooner or later, and that calmed me down a lot.”

Bernal: Flick not to blame for ACL injury

Bernal spoke about receiving a book as a gift from Flick, as he recalled “reading it when I was in the hospital”, stating that “the truth is that reading helped me a lot”. He also absolved the Barcelona head coach of any blame regarding his unfortunate ACL tear, which he suffered against Rayo Vallecano at the start of the 2024-25 season.

“He was not at all partly to blame. That day I remember telling him that I was fine, that I could hold on. These are things that you can’t control, that happen in football and in other sports. You have to live with it.”

Bernal pays tribute to Laporta

Bernal also spoke on Laporta, who will begin his fourth term as Barcelona president in early July. He refused to say whether he voted for him in the recent election, although he recalled how well he was treated by the 63-year-old in the time after his ACL tear.

“When I was injured and I was in hospital, they offered me the contract and it was a support from the club that meant a lot to me. They behaved very well. At the time, (Laporta) helped me, he supported me and I will thank him for it all my life.”