Hansi Flick closes a highly anticipated signing for his staff in Barcelona

FC Barcelona will soon close a luxury reinforcement for its coaching staff. Several sources close to the club confirm that Thiago Alcântara, former youth player and Barcelona player, will return to the club as an assistant to Hansi Flick, with whom he already worked for a couple of months last summer, after the German's arrival on the Barcelona bench.

After his early retirement with Liverpool (he hung up his boots in 2024 at just 33 years old, due to injuries), the player from San Pietro Vernotico decided to return to Barcelona to help Flick, with whom he coincided at Bayern Munich during the 19/20 season.

Both established a very close relationship in a season in which the Bavarian team ended up winning the treble. Thiago left for Liverpool at the end of that season, but maintained his friendship with the coach. Now, he hopes to return and join the culé staff permanently.

Flick incorporates Thiago at a key moment in the 25/26 season

In September 2024, Alcântara had to return to Liverpool for personal reasons. Once his commitments in the United Kingdom are resolved, the former Spanish international is ready to lend a hand to Hansi at a key moment. And it is that, after only three league matchdays, the relationship between the coach and the dressing room, for the first time, presents slight fissures.

In the press conference after the draw against Rayo (1-1), the coach attributed the team's poor performance to "ego problems" in the squad that, little by little, "kill success".

Lamine Yamal referred to the German's phrase, assuring that, for him, there are no ego conflicts in the team, but rather "loss of intensity" on the field. Dani Olmo, for his part, also ruled out the ego problems mentioned by Flick.

Beyond the exchange of statements, the return of Thiago can help the coach to smooth things over in a dressing room that considers Hansi as a very demanding leader, although paternal in many aspects, but to whom the language barrier, logically, can play against him when dealing with specific situations.

Thiago Alcântara is clear about his mission in the Barcelona coaching staff

Thiago is perfectly fluent in English and German, which was a key figure for the adaptation of Hansi Flick in his first weeks as Barcelona coach in 2024. Now, his return aims to be fundamental to turn the page on a bad match that should not condition, much less, the future of the season.

In that sense, the former youth player is clear about his mission as part of the Barça coaching staff: to be a direct link between the coach and the players so that communication, in daily work, is more effective. 

Flick had a spectacular first season at the helm of Barça, winning the national treble after crushing Real Madrid in the head-to-head. In addition, he boosted the performance of a young squad to levels well above expectations during a season that most considered transitional, after a summer with little investment in signings and several significant casualties due to injury.

With Thiago Alcântara, the German coach adds a figure loved and respected by the dressing room, as he is a man of the house with a remarkable career behind him. In addition, the player from San Pietro Vernotico understands very well the mentality of the new generations, since until very recently he was still an active player.