Barcelona overhaul continues as Hansi Flick approves major backroom staff changes

Barcelona overhaul continues as Hansi Flick approves major backroom staff changes Barcelona’s rebuild is not only shaping up the squad on the pitch, but also behind the scenes.  As Hansi Flick prepares for another demanding campaign, the club has continued its restructuring by making significant changes to the Barcelona fitness department According to AS , Barcelona have overhauled their fitness department, with two more members of the first-team staff now leaving following the earlier departure of Julio Tous .  These changes are part of a bigger restructuring led by Flick after a season in which injuries and player recoveries became a recurring concern. Barcelona fitness department undergoes major overhaul The latest Barcelona news confirms that physical trainers Rafa Maldonado and German Fernández will no longer be part of the first-team setup. Julio Tous has left the club. (Photo: Barcelona official website) While Maldonado’s long-term future at the club remains undecided, Fernandez is expected to continue his work with Barça Atlètic, ensuring he remains within the club’s structure. Their departures follow that of Julio Tous, who recently left his role as head of fitness. Together, the exits mark one of the biggest shake-ups in Barcelona backroom staff in recent years. Now, the responsibility for leading the department now falls to Benjamin Kugel , who has been appointed as the new head of the first team’s physical performance unit. He will work alongside Pepe Conde, Milos Mallol and Andres Martin, who all remain part of Flick’s coaching staff. Flick’s concerns sparked changes behind the scenes The report suggests the changes did not happen overnight. Flick has made several changes to his backroom staff. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images) After a successful first season, Flick handed Julio Tous greater responsibility, including overseeing the recovery and rehabilitation of injured players.  However, a series of fitness setbacks during the campaign led the Barcelona manager to rethink that decision. As confidence in the department declined, Flick is said to have removed those responsibilities from Tous, creating a growing disconnect between the coach and the head of fitness. The relationship reportedly deteriorated further over time, with Flick even expressing his frustrations publicly during one of his press conferences. That loss of trust ultimately paved the way for the extensive restructuring now taking place.