Barcelona hires Hansi Flick as coach after official departure of Xavi Hernandez

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Barcelona hired former Germany and Bayern Munich coach Hansi Flick on Wednesday as the replacement for Xavi Hernandez.

It's the 59-year-old Flick’s first coaching job since being fired by Germany in September last year. He previously spent two years at Bayern Munich, winning the Champions League and back-to-back German league titles.

Hernandez, a midfield great as a player at Barcelona, has left after the team finished a distant second to Real Madrid in the Spanish league this season.

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