What experts from Germany think of Hansi Flick’s tenure at Barcelona – ‘Has been a surprise’ | OneFootball

Having won the Copa del Rey, Spanish Super Cup and La Liga in his first season as the manager of Barcelona, Hansi Flick surprised many with his success at the Catalan club.

His second season too, so far, has been going largely to plan with the team ending the year as leaders in La Liga and on a great run of form.

What surprised many about Flick’s success was how it came seemingly out of nowhere, especially given how his last job before signing for Barcelona was a failed stint at the German national team.

The reaction in Germany

As relayed in a recent report by SPORT, Flick’s success at Barcelona is being viewed positively in Germany and by the German media, painting a very good picture of the coach and his abilities despite his poor stint with the national team.

“The success that Hansi Flick has reaped at Barça has been a surprise for many Germans. Not because he distrusted Flick’s talent in driving, but because his last experience in Germany, on the bench of the national team, had not been good,” Javier Caceres, a journalist for Süddeutsche Zeitung said recently.

He also added how the fact that Flick did not know Spanish was an added hurdle that he had successfully conquered. In fact, the coach’s ability to move past so many adaptation struggles and flourish is being seen as a very positive sign in Germany.

Caceres even went on to state that Flick is a man of his word and that he will certainly fulfil his contract at the club with great success unless something changes drastically.

Stephan Reich, journalist of ‘Rundfunk Frankfurt‘, has also spoken positively of Flick’s time in Spain. 

“People are a little surprised by how well he is doing. I mean, he did very well at Bayern Munich, but to be honest, I don’t think this is very complicated in Germany, although I don’t want to lower his achievements,” he said, speaking on how Flick’s achievements with Barcelona are superior to those with Bayern Munich.

Flick has been a major success at Barcelona. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

He also clarified that there are no bad feelings with the manager and that the Germans wish him the best moving forward, especially given how he has come out from virtually nowhere.

After all, he was inexperienced when he took over at Bayern Munich and succeeded there, went on to a failed national team stint and is now flying with Barcelona.

Meanwhile, BILD journalist Ingo Durstewitz spoke very highly of the work Flick did before arriving at Barça.

“I was not surprised by his success. Because his arrival was very well prepared, he studied Spanish. After the World Cup, which was a disaster for Germany, he prepared for work and concentrated and focused on FC Barcelona.”

“We all knew it, so we are not surprised because he is a very good coach, he is a perfect coach and he knows how to make a better team. In addition, with the players of Barcelona, all world-class, I do not doubt that they will continue to win more and more titles,” he concluded.