Last week, Barcelona made official Thiago Alcantara’s return to the club. The 33-year-old, who announced his retirement earlier in the summer, has arrived as an assistant to new manager Hansi Flick. One of his jobs will be to act as a liaison between the coaching staff and the playing squad, and in particular, he will be focused on two players.
Reunited. @FCBarcelona 🤝 pic.twitter.com/cYeXhuJh3b
— barcacentre (@barcacentre) July 23, 2024
According to Relevo, Flick has tasked Thiago with “moulding” Pedri and Gavi. The two young midfielders, who are both recovering from knee injuries, are a big part of the style that the German manager wants to implement, which is why Thiago will be utilised to translate and execute the orders received.
Flick considers Pedri to be a decisive player, with “a privileged view in the final third of the pitch and an infinite ability to retain the ball”. He also allows Barcelona to stick to to their possession game, and the presence of Thiago on the coaching staff will help to enhance and develop these qualities.
In Gavi’s case, Flick has identified the 19-year-old as a total footballer, with an imposing physique and ability to link-up with his Barcelona teammates. However, he won’t be available at Flick’s full disposal until November at the earliest because of the serious knee injury suffered while playing for Spain at the back-end of 2023.
