German icon reveals advice to Laporta before Hansi Flick’s appointment: ‘The most important thing is…’ | OneFootball

Germain icon Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has offered a rare insight into Barcelona’s decision to appoint Hansi Flick, explaining the key advice he gave to Joan Laporta before the move was finalised.

Rummenigge, who worked closely with Flick during his time at Bayern Munich, knows the coach better than most. 

Having spent decades at Bayern both as a player and an executive, his opinion carried weight when Barcelona were considering their options.

Rummenigge reveals the conversation

Speaking in an interview with Diario AS, Rummenigge revealed that he shared a very specific piece of advice with Laporta when discussions around Flick were ongoing.

Explaining his relationship with the Barcelona president and the conversation they had, he said,

“We share a great friendship with Joan [Laporta]; he was my vice-president at the European Club Association. 

“Regarding Flick, I told him that the most important thing is to be his friend. 

Rummenigge gave Laporta some advice before appointing Flick. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

“Hansi needs trust. It’s clear he put that into practice, because things are working out and Hansi is doing a great job,” Rummenigge explained.

The German also spoke about the situation at Barcelona as Laporta returns for his second spell in charge. 

Before the president officially takes over again, Rummenigge made sure to highlight the challenges that lie ahead, particularly on the financial side.

“I also spoke to ‘Jan’ before he began his second term at the helm of Barça to warn him of the club’s delicate financial situation, but he is the number one fan and was going to push ahead come what may.”

Rummenigge then pointed to how things have evolved since that moment, suggesting that Laporta’s persistence has started to pay off.

“Time has proved him right. On the sporting front, the club is back on top and, as a result, the finances are also gradually improving,” he concluded.