Hansi Flick has taken FC Barcelona by storm this season, guiding a young, vibrant squad to a domestic treble while delivering the kind of exhilarating football fans have long craved. Under his leadership, the goals have flowed freely.
The German coach also gets a lot of credit for reviving the fitness of many players in the Barcelona team, none more so than Pedri. The likes of Raphinha and Frenkie de Jong have also had very good campaigns in terms of fitness.
However, as per SPORT, it was not the German coach who laid the groundwork for the physical transformation at Barcelona. The wheels where already set in motion by his predecessor Xavi Hernandez, before he was relieved of his duties.
BARCELONA, SPAIN - MAY 11: Pedri of FC Barcelona is challenged by Lucas Vazquez of Real Madrid during the LaLiga match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid CF at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys on May 11, 2025 in Barcelona, Spain.
Pedri has gotten over his fitness issues this season. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
The meeting on May 8
As per the report, it all changed during a meeting between Xavi and Deco on May 8th last year where they planned a complete overhaul of the team’s physical preparation setup for the upcoming season, which at that point was expected to be coached by the Spanish tactician.
Apparently, Xavi wanted the changes to happen long before but his request was met with pessimism due to FFP concerns. Immediately after that meeting, the ex-Barcelona manager had reached out to Raul Martinez, the club’s external physiotherapist at the time to inform him about the green light to kickstart the new project focusing on enhancing player fitness.
Eventually, as a consequence of this meeting, a new performance team consisting of Martinez himself, Julio Tous, Pepe Conde, Rafa Maldonado and German Fernandez was formed, which is what Hansi Flick inherited when he took over at the club.
SEVILLE, SPAIN - MAY 26: Xavi, Head Coach of FC Barcelona, looks on before the LaLiga EA Sports match between Sevilla FC and FC Barcelona at Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan on May 26, 2024 in Seville, Spain.
It was Xavi who laid the foundations for this Hansi Flick project. (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images)
The Xavi factor
Of course, Flick has added his own touch to the team’s fitness by doing advanced analysis to identify players’ physical condition and identify when to rest someone and when to continue playing them. The German coach has done an outstanding job of managing the minutes at the club.
While Flick rightly deserves acclaim for managing the squad with precision and elevating performance levels, this story serves as a timely reminder that the groundwork was laid by Xavi Hernández. From reshaping the club’s fitness structure to leaving behind a promising young core, Xavi’s legacy is embedded in this success.
As Flick looks to build on that foundation, Barcelona fans should recognise the quiet, yet crucial, role Xavi played in setting the stage for this resurgence and forever be grateful for the same.