Former Liverpool star Thiago Alcantara returns to Barcelona as assistant coach
Thiago has agreed to take up a coaching role at Barca with immediate effect
Former Liverpool midfielder Thiago Alcantara is set to return to Barcelona as an assistant coach to Hansi Flick.
The 34-year-old retired from playing in 2024 after leaving Anfield and briefly joined Flick’s backroom staff in Germany, though he departed after just one month.
Now, according to Fabrizio Romano, Thiago has agreed to take up a coaching role at Barca with immediate effect.
He will link up with La Liga’s reigning champions ahead of their first fixture after the September international break against Valencia.
Thiago enjoyed a glittering 16-year playing career, winning trophies with Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, and the Spanish national team.
A product of Barca’s famed La Masia academy, he lifted four La Liga titles and a Champions League before moving to Bayern Munich.
In Germany, he established himself as one of Europe’s finest midfielders, claiming seven Bundesliga titles and another Champions League across seven years.
That pedigree made his 2020 arrival at Liverpool, shortly after their Premier League triumph, a hugely exciting prospect.
Signed for £25m, Thiago made 98 appearances for the Reds, scoring three goals and providing six assists.
He added FA Cup and Carabao Cup medals but struggled with injuries, particularly in his final season, which ultimately led to his retirement.
Not ready to leave the game entirely, Thiago stepped into coaching, rejoining Barcelona under Flick last August.
Reflecting on the move, he said: “I had the chance to get into football again, helping the coaching staff of Barcelona.”
The appointment also raises the prospect of a reunion with his former club.
Should Liverpool and Barcelona progress in this season’s Champions League, Thiago could return to Anfield in the opposition dugout next spring.
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