Flick opens up on Alonso's departure from Real Madrid

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick said on Wednesday that Xabi Alonso has a great future in football despite Real Madrid replacing him at the helm this week.

Flick’s Barca beat Alonso’s Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup final on Sunday, and a day later, Los Blancos agreed a deal with the Basque coach to depart and appointed Alvaro Arbeloa.

“We have to continue, we have to think about what we can do better, but he’s a fantastic coach and also has a great future,” Flick told a news conference ahead of Barca’s Copa del Rey last 16 clash at Racing Santander on Thursday.

Alonso, who won the Bundesliga unbeaten with Bayer Leverkusen in 2024, lasted less than eight months in charge of Madrid, but Flick believes the former Liverpool and Bayern Munich player will soon land another big role.

“This is football and it’s not my business, but what I can say is that I have a very good relationship with Xabi,” explained Flick.

“I met him at Leverkusen, when I was the (German) national coach, I always stayed in contact with him. He’s a fantastic coach.

“This is football, we have to accept these things, I wish him all the best and I think he will get a new one, a big project for him and his team.”

Flick confirmed Barcelona’s new loan arrival Joao Cancelo could feature against second division leaders Racing.

The coach said he was hoping to take advantage of Cancelo’s attacking quality between now and the end of the season.

“Joao is a fantastic football player, with a lot of quality in attack and this is what we need,” added Flick.

“When the opponent is (deep in their own territory), we have to (overcome) them and we need quality and he’s a good option for that.”