Hansi Flick adds trusted German fitness coach to Barcelona staff – report | OneFootball

Barcelona have completed the signing of a new German fitness coach trusted by Hansi Flick to strengthen the club’s coaching staff ahead of next season, reports Mundo Deportivo.

The appointment comes after Julio Tous left his role with the first team.

Although the identity of the coach is still not revealed, an agreement has already been reached, with only the final paperwork and official announcement still pending.

A coach handpicked by Flick

As per the report, the new arrival is a German fitness specialist who has previously worked with Flick and is someone the Barcelona manager knows well.

His contract has already been agreed, with only formal approval from the club’s executives remaining before the move becomes official.

The appointment represents another show of confidence from Barcelona’s hierarchy in Flick, giving him one of his own trusted staff members to lead the club’s physical preparation department.

Although the coach’s identity has not yet been revealed, it has been confirmed that he is not Holger Broich.

Flick has brought in a new fitness coach at Barcelona. (Photo by Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images)

Broich, who previously worked with Flick at Bayern Munich and had recently been linked with Barcelona, had ruled himself out of the role.

Injury problems prompted the change

Muscle injuries were a recurring concern for Flick at Barcelona throughout last season.

One of the biggest setbacks came when Raphinha suffered a recurrence of a hamstring injury shortly before the first league Clasico in October. At the time, Flick admitted mistakes had been made during the player’s recovery process.

The situation worsened in March after Alejandro Balde and Jules Kounde both picked up muscle injuries during Barcelona’s Copa del Rey comeback attempt against Atletico Madrid. Frenkie de Jong had also suffered a muscular problem shortly beforehand.

The combination of repeated injuries and concerns raised by several players led Flick to request changes within the club’s physical preparation department.

Julio Tous takes on a new role

Rather than leaving Barcelona entirely, Julio Tous has been reassigned within the club.

Julio Tous will take up a new role at Barcelona. (Photo: Barcelona official website)

He will now oversee the physical development of Barça Atletic players and the club’s most promising U19 prospects, helping prepare them for future first-team football.

Unless further changes are made, the new German fitness coach will work alongside the existing fitness staff of Pepe Conde, Rafa Maldonado and German Fernandez.

Other changes to Flick’s staff

While Barcelona are adding a new fitness coach, Flick has already lost two members of his coaching staff since the end of last season.

Trusted analyst Stephan Nopp departed after the campaign, while former Barcelona midfielder Thiago Alcantara also left the coaching group.

Barcelona’s first-team squad is scheduled to return for pre-season on 13 July, when Flick and his revamped coaching staff will begin preparations for the new campaign.