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1 month ago
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Almost two months after his appointment as FC Barcelona manager, Hansi Flick was officially presented to the media today along with club president Joan Laporta and other board members.
The 59-year-old comes in to replace former manager and club legend Xavi Hernandez and received a grand welcome from Laporta, who thanked him for taking over the reins of the first team.
Laporta welcomes Flick
Starting off, Laporta highlighted the qualities of Flick that made Barcelona appoint him as the first-team manager, saying:
“Following the recommendation of the sports area and Deco, we considered that the ideal person to lead the team was Hansi Flick. Because of his experience, his discipline and the culture of hard work, because of his confidence in the philosophy of the club.”
Insisting that the former Germany manager is the best bet to provide a fresh impetus to the team, Laporta added:
“He is the person best qualified to give a boost to the first team and to face the challenges that the immediate present holds for us.
“He will do so with conviction, determination and renewed energy. With the necessary freshness that the person who has to lead this new impetus needs.”
Continuing, the Barcelona president added that he and the Barcelona fans hope to see Flick turn the team into a reference in the world of football.
“We thought we had to give a new impetus and here is Hansi Flick, whom I thank for his commitment to accept the management of the first team,” he said.
“Hansi works with the idea that Barça must be a reference in the world of football and we have a style that defines us, we want to win and convince.”
“You have all of us, Hansi, to bring joy back to the Barça fans. Thousands of supporters are very excited with you and confident that you will lead the team to victory. Welcome, Hansi,” Laporta concluded.
Laporta thanks Xavi
Laporta thanked Xavi for his contributions. (Photo by LLUIS GENE/AFP via Getty Images)The Barcelona chief also took the opportunity to thank former manager Xavi Hernandez for his contributions to the club and stated that the decision to part ways with him was not an easy one.
“I want to refer to Xavi Hernández. I have to tell you that the decision for him not to continue was not an easy one. I can assure you. To take a decision like this that affects someone you appreciate and are fond of, and who has written in golden letters in Barça’s history, is very hard,” he said.
“As a board of directors and myself as president, we have to put the interests of Barça above other situations. Barça as an institution always comes first. We believed that it was time to give a new impulse, to make a change that obeyed the interests of Barça.”
Highlighting the successes of Xavi’s stint at Barcelona, Laporta added: “Barça always comes first. I want to thank Xavi and his staff for their good work, they took over Barça at a time of maximum difficulty.
“We won a historic league title and a Super Cup, and they made a very clear commitment to players from La Masia who are now consolidated.”
Source: BarçaOne
