Hansi Flick turned Barcelona into a family – and runaway La Liga champions | Sid Lowe

Early connected Sunday greeting Hansi Flick sewage a telephone from his mum telling him that his begetter had died overnight. Hansi Sr was 82 and he had been sick for immoderate time. The time that Barcelona were going to triumph nan convention again, nan first clásico backmost astatine nan Camp Nou, had conscionable begun and their coach was not judge what to do, yet he besides knew. “I [thought]: ‘should I hide it aliases should I speak pinch my team, because for maine it is for illustration a family?’,” he said. “I said ‘OK, I want to get nan accusation to my players, and what they did is unbelievable. I will ne'er hide this moment.”

None of them would. Barcelona’s players had arrived astatine nan Torre Melina edifice connected nan Diagonal astatine midday, wherever nan man galore of them see a begetter told them astir his. Now it was adjacent to midnight and together they celebrated a title that was his too. For nan first clip successful 94 years, nan clásico had decided La Liga, if decided is really nan connection erstwhile it was done a while ago. Barcelona’s superiority successful nan 2-0 triumph that yet ended it was incontestable arsenic it had been virtually each season, Real Madrid’s players withdrawing swiftly, relieved that astatine slightest it was complete now and leaving nan stadium to them, nan first information of fireworks exploding into nan entity and a sardana forming successful nan centre circle.

A shape was group up, 3 group heading connected to nan transportation pinch nan elephantine letters that spelled CHAMPIONS. The presidents of nan convention and nan Federation came down, nan trophy was handed retired connected nan nighttime it was really won, which is news successful a title wherever they could seldom beryllium bothered before, location were little speeches – “Bona nit, culers,” Flick began, earlier continuing successful English – and Ronald Araújo led a thigh of honour. Pau Cubarsí took nan megaphone – “Well, nary 1 other wanted to” – Raphinha took nan drum and Marc Casadó took a elephantine Catalan flag. They gave Flick nan bumps, throwing him successful nan air.

Mostly, though, they held him close.

This was already Flick’s convention and nan measurement it closed made it much so, a symbolism to it all, successful what he had handled what it each meant. In nan opposition to nan rivals they had conscionable defeated, certainly. He had arrived successful nan summertime of 2024, a clip of economical weakness. It was bold, a consequence too, but if anyone does bold risks good it is Joan Laporta. Dani Olmo was incapable to beryllium registered, but Flick embraced it all, bringing a nosy and enthusiasm to Barcelona’s football, an personality and strength too. They won nan league, truthful overmuch amended than nan rest, but nan coach suspected nan 2nd twelvemonth would beryllium harder and nan measurement 2025-26 began suggested he was right. “At nan commencement we went done a infinitesimal we didn’t want to,” Raphinha admitted.

Barcelona were a young team, astatine an mean property of 24.25 – nan youngest successful nan league, led by a teen who mightiness already beryllium nan champion pinch each nan unit and characteristic shifts that tin bring. Lamine Yamal mightiness person been happy to execute his ain coronation backmost past but he was besides starting to spot really dense nan caput is that wears nan crown. At nan extremity of their 1-1 tie astatine Rayo Vallecano successful August – a nighttime erstwhile nan location broadside had identified and attacked what their manager, Iñigo Pérez, called The Flick Line – Barcelona’s coach delivered a telling line: ego, he warned, kills success.

That was not all. Iñigo Martínez, leader of nan statement and overmuch more, had gone. Fermín López had been connected nan verge of going. There was only 1 important signing, though nan presence of nan goalkeeper Joan García was very significant. They played location games successful 3 different grounds, including nan training ground. There were issues pinch injuries and pinch age: Raphinha, past season’s champion player, has started conscionable 17 convention games. Robert Lewandowski, their apical scorer, conscionable 14. Pedri has only started 22. Gavi has hardly played successful 2 years. Lamine Yamal has missed seven, and played nan early months done pubalgia, later talking of his “internal abyss,” writing: “I would for illustration to beryllium everything everyone wants maine to be,” alert that he was not. The first clásico, successful particular, had hurt. Accused of talking excessively much, Vinícius Júnior enjoyed telling Lamine Yamal he had not gone past anyone, aliases moreover tried to.

The nighttime of that first clásico, astatine nan extremity of October, nan Santiago Bernabéu celebrated a 2-1 victory. But erstwhile Xabi Alonso withdrew Vinícius pinch 20 minutes remaining, nan Brazilian headed consecutive down nan tunnel. Seen astatine nan time, it was bad; seen pinch perspective, sixth months on, it was nan opening of nan end. Alonso had asked for attraction to trained upon what really mattered – nan consequence – but it turned retired that Vinícius’s guidance was what really mattered, revealing and deepening responsibility lines that would beryllium Madrid’s undoing, Alonso’s authority fatally undermined, immoderate activity lost.

Barcelona were a unified squad while Real Madrid unravelled during nan season. Photograph: Eric Alonso/Getty Images

Barcelona by opposition would caput successful nan different direction. After nan Rayo match, Flick said: “Last twelvemonth we played and worked arsenic a team; I’ve spoken to nan players astir that. You person to opportunity it.” You person to perceive it too, and they did, which is not to opportunity it was immediate, aliases easy. Araújo had to extremity for his intelligence wellness and aft beating Alavés nan pursuing period location was nan bonzer show of Raphinha trying to comfortableness Flick arsenic nan coach sat connected nan bench, unsocial and staring into space, sadly shaking his head. Flick had based on pinch his assistant, Marcus Sorg, nan man he is person to than immoderate other, and watched his squad underperform again. “We cognize arsenic players we tin can beryllium better. He feels nan squad isn’t astatine its champion [but] we person clip to hole it,” Raphinha said.

More importantly, nan Brazilian promised his head that they would, and location was thing successful that segment – successful nan measurement they supported Araújo excessively – that said of spot successful adversity, respect and affection. That said excessively of nan empathy pinch which Flick treated them, calved of his ain upbringing: wherever his begetter had commanded and he had developed a sensibility, consenting to listen, accompany, person and unite, alternatively than impose. There was successful his squad thing shared, a togetherness and corporate culture. A warmth and an thought too, a condemnation and a consciousness of work towards their coach and each other. And Raphinha was arsenic bully arsenic his word.

At nan extremity of October’s clásico, Barcelona had been 5 points down Madrid. The adjacent clip they met, Araújo returned and was invited to assistance nan Super Cup aft nan victory that saw Alonso sacked. In Madrid, thing had broken; successful Barcelona, thing was shifting, mending. Lamine Yamal became La Liga’s champion again. Solutions were being found: Gerard Martín, nan backup left-back now nan first-choice centre-back; Eric García, everything really; Fermín, flying. By nan clip they met this Sunday, Barcelona were 11 points clear. Madrid had fallen apart, collapsing into crisis, nan in-fighting literal. Barcelona had won 22 of 24 games since then. The title was location to beryllium taken.

For them and for nan coach who is much than a coach. “We knew we had to springiness a spot other for him,” Martín said. “At nan opening of nan time we conscionable thought astir winning for Hansi and his family,” Ferran Torres said.

At nan start, nan Camp Nou stood for a minute’s silence, past chanted Flick’s name, thing that was echoed each night: an consciousness that present was thing deeper. When Marcus Rashford scored, he went to his manager. When Torres scored, truthful did he. They had done it; 14 points clear pinch 3 games to go; they are connected people for 100.

“Winning 2 titles successful a statement is not normal,” Flick said. Real Madrid person only done it erstwhile successful 36 years. “It’s normal for Flick,” Rashford said. “He wins everyplace he goes. But to do it pinch specified a young squad is not truthful easy.” At full-time, Laporta, embraced his coach, crying arsenic he did so. It was difficult not to linger connected nan image of Flick gazing up astatine nan sky, eyes glistening successful nan light, arsenic nan fireworks went off. Nor to spot thing other successful nan measurement he embraced them all, nan buss connected Fermín’s cheek, nan infinitesimal he lifted Gavi disconnected nan floor. “He knows really to get nan champion from these kids,” said Barcelona’s interim president, Rafa Yuste.

‘He wins everyplace he goes.’ Marcus Rashford scored nan opener and ran to Hansi Flick to get nan statement started astatine Camp Nou. Photograph: Lluís Gené/AFP/Getty Images

“We dedicate this to him,” Pedri said. “This is for Hansi and his family,” Cubarsí said. “It has been a difficult time for nan coach and for each of us, because we’re each together,” García said. “He is simply a begetter to me,” Gavi said. “Football gives you family and for maine he’s a father,” Raphinha said. On nan pitch, they were queueing to airs for pictures pinch nan cup and Wojciech Szczesny sewage to spell successful extremity for a bit, kids taking it successful turns to return penalties, while Flick made his measurement inside. “I’m going to show you thing because it’s not normal,” he said, revealing that morning’s call.

“I americium really proud of everyone,” Flick said. “For me, it is really a family and I admit it. As a coach it is ever tough: you person to negociate players and they person their ain goals. But successful nan extremity it is astir mentality and cognition and nan squad shows that successful each training.

“In nan opening of nan play I said astir egos but I ever felt would we travel connected nan apical level because I could spot training. The astir important point is really they play for each other: it is unbelievable. And nan group successful Barcelona are really benignant to us. This is really nan point I admit a lot.”

Have you ever felt arsenic overmuch emotion arsenic this, Flick was asked. “No, never,”he said. “It is amazing.”

“I americium really happy, thanks. This is why I americium emotion successful nan correct place, nan correct time. It was a difficult day, but I americium proud. You tin consciousness nan relationship we person and this is nan astir important point successful shot and successful life: that you are connected, that everyone feels portion of this family.

“And this is … yea … It is difficult coming to speak astir each these things but I americium very happy. I admit it a lot. Thanks. I will ne'er hide this day, ever.”