Barcelona to hire new fitness coach as Flick targets fewer injuries

Barcelona moved to add another fitness specialist this summer, a sign that Hansi Flick wanted the club’s injury-prevention work sharpened rather than treated as a routine staff shuffle. Oliver Bartlett and Holger Broich emerged as the main candidates, while Julio Tous stayed in place and extended his deal as Barcelona tried to turn conditioning into a competitive edge.

The timing mattered because physical preparation had already been identified as a weak point before Flick arrived. Joan Laporta had publicly stressed the need to improve that area, and Barcelona’s own internal direction under Flick had leaned hard into load management, strength work and recovery. Tous, who became the first team’s head fitness coach, described his unit as an “incredibly committed team” and said the staff worked on strength, neuromuscular work, rehabilitation and injury prevention.

Barcelona’s staff page showed how quickly that structure changed after Flick came in July 2024, listing new fitness names alongside the German coach’s trusted circle. Pepe Conde, Rafa Maldonado and Germán Fernández were part of that reshaped support group, and Flick kept the same inner circle that had travelled with him through his earlier jobs, including Marcus Sorg, Toni Tapalovic and Heiko Westermann.

Broich’s name carried obvious weight because of his Bayern Munich connection with Flick. He had already been linked to Barcelona in June 2024, when reports suggested he could be added to the staff, but those same reports said he would not ultimately join. His return to the conversation now showed how seriously Barcelona were treating the issue of physical preparation, not just filling a vacancy.

The club’s push also reflected what Flick had already done on the pitch. Barcelona said his first season produced 60 matches, 44 wins, seven draws and nine defeats, with 174 goals scored and 72 conceded. That record underlined how successful the football had been, but it also made the injury question sharper: Barcelona wanted those numbers backed by a squad that could stay available across a full campaign.

That concern has grown because key players have continued to miss time under Flick, and Spanish media have reported frustration inside the squad over recurring fitness problems. Late-2024 coverage also described a more demanding training load under Flick, with the physical approach noticeably different from the previous regime. The summer hire, then, was about more than support staff. It was Barcelona’s latest attempt to keep Flick’s best players on the grass and available when the season turns demanding.