The Flick Fix

By Chloe Agas | 12 May, 2025

FC Barcelona manager Hansi Flick waves at the crowd. (FC Barcelona) 

I would not know that sports even existed if it weren’t for FC Barcelona. 

It’s 2016, and I’m watching my 20th MSN goals compilation. For reference, MSN is an acronym that combines the last names of Messi, Suarez, and Neymar Jr. – a generational attacking trio that took world football by storm from 2014 until 2017, when Neymar departed for Paris Saint-Germain. During MSN’s reign in La Liga, the club accumulated two La Liga titles, three Copa Del Rey titles, a Champions League title, and the Club World Cup. 

But that era is long gone. 

See, the 2023-24 season was anything but smooth sailing. The Catalan-based club lost the La Liga title, was defeated in the final round of the Spanish Supercopa against Real Madrid, lost to Athletic Club in the quarterfinals of the Copa del Rey, and suffered a 4-1 defeat in the quarterfinals of the Champions League against Paris Saint-Germain.

FC Barcelona’s President, Joan Laporta, announced in May 2024 that then-manager and ex-midfielder Xavi Hernandez would be fired. 

At this point, Barcelona wasn’t just chasing trophies—it was also chasing stability. After a rocky season, the club desperately needed to reset its identity and structure. 

So what’s the fix? Enter: Hansi Flick. 

Hansi Flick stands on the sidelines at the Allianz Arena. (Frank Hoermann, Sven Simon/Imago Images)

What does Flick bring to the table?

Flick’s managerial portfolio is nothing short of impressive. 

Alongside Jürgen Low, the Heidelberg native became an assistant coach of the German national team in August 2006, following Jürgen Klinsmann’s resignation. The pair assisted in the team’s ‘revival’ phase that eventually led the nation to the final round of the Euros two years later. The once underdogs became a force to be reckoned with, and they ultimately won the World Cup crown in Brazil in 2014. 

But his most impressive records came during his reign at Bayern Munich. 

Flick won 22 out of his first 25 matches during his first season as Bayern coach. He also led the club to a historic sweep, capturing the Bundesliga title, German Cup, Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, and Club World Cup. This level of dominance felt quite familiar to me. The familiarity in question? Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona, which achieved the same feat back in 2009. 

Flick has decades of coaching experience – but these feats stood out the most to me. These feats prove that Flick had the potential to find the missing pieces to restore Barcelona’s prior greatness. 

Let’s break down why. 

First, Flick turned an inconsistent German national team into World Cup champions in a matter of time. The period of ‘revival’ during his first two years as assistant coach for the team proved Flick’s philosophy of rebuilding a team from the inside out. 

Barcelona’s roster includes talents such as Yamal, Lewandowski, Pedri, Gavi, and Raphinha. Clearly, the problem isn’t a lack of talent – it’s a lack of discipline and identity. With Flick now in the picture, the club has found the cohesion that it’s been looking for. 

Second, he turned Bayern into a Bundesliga machine. All the gears turned on the pitch that turned into a treble-winning run that mirrored Guardiola’s Barcelona. Flick proved he could bring a team together through a disciplinary system that would allow his squad to efficiently attack and dominate each and every opponent they faced. 

This is precisely what Barcelona needed – a commander, and fast. When Flick stepped in, the pre-match tunnel “fashion shows,” such as the elaborate designer outfits by Jules Kounde, turned into a team already dressed in exclusive clothes with the Barcelona crest, or their “uniform,” ready for combat. 

FC Barcelona celebrates after capturing the 2025 Copa del Rey. (FC Barcelona)

This season, so far.

Flick knows how to make decisions – especially tough ones. 

Barcelona now has a starting forward-attacking trio that could mirror the prowess of 2014-2017 MSN: Yamal, Lewandowski, and Raphinha. Although Flick can have his starting eleven set in stone, it is clear that he ensures every player on the bench has a chance to shine on the pitch. 

According to a graphic in an article by Pol Ballus and Laia Cervello Herrero of The Athletic, 17 of FC Barcelona’s goals have been scored from substitutes this season. Another point of contention? The return of goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, who came out of retirement following starting goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s brutal knee injury in late 2024. 

Flick started the Polish goalkeeper in matches after dropping Barcelona’s regular second-choice goalkeeper Inaki Pena. His decision to drop Pena comes from a part of his philosophy of creating a team of discipline and punctuality. And when Pena arrived late to a pre-match meeting before the Copa del Rey semi-finals round? That did it for Flick. It wasn’t the easiest start for Szczesny, but it became clear that Szczesny was a better fit for the Blaugrana. 

The disciplinary and tactical structure that Flick built helped the Catalan club turn the gears. And it proved itself when the club won the Spanish Supercopa, Copa del Rey, and reached the semi-finals of the Champions League—Flick turned the club into championship contenders once again, all in a matter of months. 

And now? After today’s El Clasico win, FC Barcelona sits atop the La Liga leaderboard – a position that felt distant after last season. With winning ways and the league title within reach, something even more meaningful has returned – the feeling that this is the Barça that 11-year-old me fell in love with, again.