Bring on Jose Mourinho! Hansi Flick ‘ready to face anyone’ as Barcelona see Clasico rivals Real Madrid turn to the ‘Special One’ for La Liga title-chasing inspiration

Flick has sent a clear message to his rivals following reports that Mourinho is set to return to Madrid. The Portuguese tactician is heavily tipped to succeed Arbeloa in the hot seat at Santiago Bernabeu, a move that would reignite the fiery atmosphere of the El Clasico rivalry seen during the early 2010s.

When questioned about the possibility of going head-to-head with the former Chelsea and Manchester United boss, Flick was unfazed. “Yes, why not? He’s the opposing team’s coach, and I’m always ready to face anyone,” the German coach stated.

The Barca boss was speaking in the aftermath of his side's final game of the Liga season, a 3-1 defeat to Valencia at Mestalla. Despite the loss, Flick was quick to point out that the result did not overshadow the work done throughout the year, as the Catalan giants had already secured the league title before the final whistle in Valencia.

“This defeat doesn’t affect the season we’ve had, which ended with the title. We accept the result because Valencia’s victory was more than deserved. It was clear they had more to play for,” Flick explained. He admitted that his side struggled on the night, adding: ”We made some rather easy mistakes after going down 0-1, and they capitalized on them to score the goals that gave them the victory.”

With the World Cup looming on the horizon, Flick acknowledged that some of his players might have already been looking ahead to the international tournament. This mental shift likely contributed to the uncharacteristic errors seen during the final matchday, but the manager remains empathetic toward his squad's ambitions on the world stage.

“We have to understand that the World Cup is coming up and that’s a dream for any footballer. It’s understandable that the players have focused a bit more on that important goal, and I have to understand that,” Flick noted.

With the title in the bag, the Barcelona hierarchy will now turn their attention to a busy summer of recruitment and tactical refinement. Flick is aware that the competition will only get tougher if Madrid indeed confirm the appointment of Mourinho, and he is determined to use the off-season to ensure Barca stay ahead of the pack.

“Now I have to analyze things to improve in the future,” Flick concluded. “There were things today that weren’t quite right, but the season has been good, we’re champions, and now we’re going on vacation to prepare for another season.”