The Blaugrana head coach is only focused on beating Newcastle in their Champions League clash this week
Hansi Flick has claimed that Barcelona will be the final club of his managerial career, although he insisted that the timing was wrong to discuss his contract renewal with a Champions League second leg against Newcastle looming.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference on Tuesday, Flick was his usual calm self, but that did not stop him from dropping a bombshell statement in front of the reporters.
“I’m not thinking about going anywhere else. This will be my last club, my last job, and I’m delighted,” he said.
The declaration came in the midst of Joan Laporta’s re-election as Barcelona president on Sunday, after which the new incumbent gave a string of interviews in which he confirmed Flick’s extension was imminent.
Flick, however, was in no mood to be rushed. “It’s not the right time. We have a very important match. Everyone knows I’m very happy here, but I need to talk to my family. There will be time to talk, it’s not the moment now,” he said.
“I love working here. I have a great family here, and I have the support of Barcelona, but this is football. I’m here to help achieve the best possible level, but there’s still time.”
Laporta hails head coach
Laporta had set the tone on Sunday when he said: “We will surely announce Flick’s renewal soon. We always prefer him to have another year on his contract.”
The president, who campaigned partly on a platform of securing Flick’s long-term future, went further in outlining his vision. “I would like Hansi Flick to stay on for this entire term.
“He’s a young man, full of energy, who is happy at the club and in the city. His continued presence would be a sign of stability and would demonstrate that we are winning and moving in the right direction.”
Laporta also praised Flick’s relationship with the dressing room. “He is a very meticulous professional, motivated and close to the players. That connection is key to building a solid and lasting project. We want everything to be done in an orderly and transparent manner.
Flick’s current contract runs until 2027. The club’s intention is to extend it by a further year to 2028, with an additional option built in.
The coach touched on Laporta’s visit to the dressing room earlier in the week, framing it in typically grounded terms.
“It’s important to have a structure. We have a good structure that gives us stability. Everyone was happy about the visit and it brought us luck for tomorrow.”
Barcelona go into Wednesday’s second leg at the Camp Nou with the tie level at 1-1 after a narrow draw at St James’ Park. Whether a contract announcement follows shortly after is, for now, secondary.
