New Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has set a clear and ambitious target for his first season in charge: to win the UEFA Champions League. This goal would see him match a historic feat achieved by Jose Mourinho twenty years ago.
Flick, who was officially unveiled as the Catalan club’s head coach on Wednesday, May 29, 2024, did not shy away from the ultimate objective. “My goal is to win the Champions League with Barcelona,” he stated firmly during his presentation at the club’s facilities.
If Flick succeeds in lifting the European Cup in his debut campaign, he will emulate the legendary Portuguese manager Jose Mourinho. Mourinho accomplished the same feat in the 2003/2004 season, leading FC Porto to a stunning Champions League triumph in his first year at the helm, a victory that cemented his rise to global prominence.
The German coach’s mission, however, comes with an immediate hurdle. For Barcelona to even participate in the 2024/2025 Champions League, they must first navigate a qualifying playoff round. The draw for that crucial preliminary stage is scheduled for August 5, 2024, setting up a high-stakes start to Flick’s tenure.
Flick’s confidence stems from a remarkable past achievement of his own. He is the last manager to guide a club to a continental treble, having masterminded Bayern Munich’s Champions League, Bundesliga, and DFB-Pokal triumph in the 2019/2020 season. That Bayern side famously defeated Barcelona 8-2 in the Champions League quarter-finals en route to the title.
Now, the 59-year-old tactician faces the challenge of reviving Barcelona’s fortunes. The club finished the 2023/2024 season without any major silverware, and Flick’s task is to restore them to the pinnacle of European football, beginning with that all-important qualifying match in August.
