Barcelona coach Hansi Flick expressed his support for Xabi Alonso on Wednesday, stating the manager has a “great future” in football despite his recent replacement at Real Madrid.
Flick’s remarks came during a press conference ahead of Barcelona’s Copa del Rey match against Racing Santander. The comments follow Real Madrid’s decision to part ways with Alonso just one day after his team was defeated by Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final. Alvaro Arbeloa has been appointed as his successor.
“He’s a fantastic coach and also has a great future,” Flick stated, reflecting on Alonso’s capabilities. “This is football, and we have to accept these things. I wish him all the best.”
Flick noted his professional relationship with Alonso, which began during his time as the German national coach while Alonso was at Bayer Leverkusen. In 2024, Alonso famously led Leverkusen to an undefeated Bundesliga title. Despite a tenure of less than eight months at Madrid, Flick remains confident that Alonso will soon secure another significant coaching position. “I think he will get a new one, a big project for him and his team,” he added.
In other team news, Flick confirmed that new loan signing Joao Cancelo is available to play against Racing Santander. The coach highlighted Cancelo’s offensive skills as a key asset for the team for the remainder of the season.
