Thiago Alcantara has been a huge success at Barcelona during his brief coaching spell during pre-season, and as such is expected to return to the club full-time at the start of January. Fiscal reasons mean he is currently in England, although a return to Catalonia will almost certainly happen in 2025.
Ronald Araújo will find it difficult to regain his place in the starting eleven once he has recovered. The duo Iñigo Martínez – Pau Cubarsí is very much to the taste of Hansi Flick Flick. @bonagerman
— Barcacentre (@barcacentre) October 12, 2024
Thiago will become the latest member of Hansi Flick's coaching staff, although it has now been revealed that his role will be somewhat reduced when, as expected, he returns to Barcelona. According to Reliefhe – alongside the current coach Toni Tapalovic and Heiko Westermann – are not able to reside in the dugout during the games in La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup.
In accordance with Article 161 of the General Regulations of the Real Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), coaches “who have obtained their qualification abroad, with the exception of national associations with license agreements UEFA, they can play in clubs attached to national and professional competitions that they are in possession of a title equivalent to the national and have served, as starters, in teams of the highest category of national associations affiliated to. FIFA, for a period of not less than three seasons”.
Tapalovic, Westermann and Thiago are not all in this category for their own reasons, so that means they have to participate. Barcelona matches in the stands – it's a nuisance, although it's hard to say for sure how much effect it has/would have.
