Hansi Flick returns to work this Sunday with FC Barcelona to prepare for the 2025/26 season, his second in charge of the Blaugrana team. The coaching staff welcomes the squad at the Ciutat Esportiva after almost two months of rest to get a group physically fit that has just won three of the four titles at stake in the previous year.
After carrying out the routine medical tests, the coach will lead a double session of physical work on Monday. Some players have already advanced a week or two of work, such is the case of Robert Lewandowski, while others will just resume training at full speed after a well-deserved rest.
In that sense, beyond the physical issue, which is key to facing such a demanding calendar, with up to 63 matches (in case of playing everything possible in League, Cup, Super Cup and Champions League), Flick's first objective will be to define which players he will count on in 25/26.
Define his discards and compensate for the losses: Flick's first challenge in the pre-season
Barça starts the pre-season with 27 players available, 25 of them registered in LaLiga. Up to 8 could leave from here to August 31, 5 of them knowing practically sentenced before starting the pre-season.
The first confirmed discard is Pablo Torre. The player from Cantabria, in fact, has permission to be absent from the start of training and must close his transfer to Mallorca shortly. Iñaki Peña, Pau Víctor and Oriol Romeu also know that the team is not counting on them, but they will be able to train with the group while they resolve their respective exits.
Iñaki is aiming for a transfer at a low price, while Víctor should go on loan to another LaLiga club. With Romeu, it is likely that Barça will opt to terminate his contract if they do not receive any formal offers.
The 'Ter Stegen case', a headache for Barça
To them we must add the name of Marc-André ter Stegen. The German has run out of space in the squad after the signing of Joan García and the renewal of Wojciech Szczesny, but refuses to listen to offers because he feels annoyed with the club. The '1' has three years left on his contract and the bulk of the salary agreed after his last renewal (2023).
After practically a season out due to injury, Ter Stegen feels that he does not deserve this treatment, but faced with the possibility of spending the whole year on the bench just before the 2026 World Cup, he could be forced to look for a team.
Barcelona, meanwhile, keeps all avenues open to facilitate his departure. The first, a sale for an amount close to 10 million. The second, a loan with an option to buy. Finally, a termination of contract is not ruled out either, this being the most complex option.
Barça would have to compensate the German for the three years remaining on his contract, which amount to a total of 42 million (at a rate of about €14 million gross per year). In any case, Marc-André will have the last word to define his future, after 11 years in Catalonia.
More possible discards from Flick at Barça: Who will leave?
Among those pointed out to leave are also Andreas Christensen and Héctor Fort. The Dane spent the entire 24/25 in the infirmary, while the full-back was the least used defender by Flick throughout the season. Another player whose future is in doubt is Gerard Martín.
The defender, unlike Fort, does have the confidence of the coaching staff, but starts as a substitute for Alejandro Balde and has interesting offers to go to the Premier League. Christensen could also return to England for a lower amount, while Fort has not yet defined whether to try his luck in another LaLiga team or abroad.
For now, the only confirmed departures in the squad are:
| Player | Exit via | New club |
|---|---|---|
| Clément Lenglet | Termination of contract | Atlético de Madrid |
| Álex Valle | Transfer (6 M€) | Como |
| Ansu Fati | Loan | AS Mónaco |
| Ander Astralaga | Loan | Granada |
| Pablo Torre | Transfer (5 M€) | Mallorca* |
*Unofficial
Barça is clear: the treble is the goal in 2026
Thus, Hansi Flick takes command of a team made, but that may still suffer several changes in its preparation due to the club's need to raise cash to strengthen. For now, Joan García is the only addition and several departures are expected.
In addition, Barça hopes to incorporate a left winger and, perhaps, a full-back if both Gerard and Héctor leave. Other pending issues have to do with the renewals of Frenkie de Jong and Eric García, two very important pieces for the coach.
In his first season, Flick won the national treble (League, Cup and Super Cup), in addition to reaching the Champions League final. In 2026, the 'orejona' is the main culé objective, without neglecting LaLiga and the Copa del Rey. With the treble in sight and much to do in the offices, the Blaugrana team starts the 2025 pre-season.
Will the 25/26 be as or more glorious than the previous year? This is the firm conviction of the squad and the technical staff, with the extra illusion that it means returning to the Spotify Camp Nou hand in hand with a winning project.
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