Real Madrid are heading into a pressure-filled Spanish Super Cup final against Barcelona, a match that could carry significant weight for Xabi Alonso’s immediate future on the bench.
A Clasico final is always decisive, but this one feels even more defining, not only because of the trophy at stake, but because of the man standing in the opposite technical area.
Unfortunately for the Real Madrid coach, his counterpart is Hansi Flick, a manager with a proven and almost flawless record when it comes to finals.
While Alonso did manage to defeat Flick earlier this season in La Liga, knockout matches and finals are a very different story and this is where the German’s reputation becomes impossible to ignore.
Flick’s flawless record
To understand the scale of the challenge, Flick’s record in finals speaks for itself.
Across his managerial career, he has contested seven finals and won every single one of them.
Five of those victories came during his hugely successful spell at Bayern Munich, while the remaining two have already been achieved with Barcelona.
Flick’s relationship with finals began spectacularly during the 2019/20 season with Bayern Munich.
In his first year in charge, he led the Bavarian giants to the German Cup final, where they defeated Bayer Leverkusen.
Hansi Flick is yet to lose a cup final. (Photo by Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images)
That victory was only the beginning. Just weeks later, Bayern were crowned Champions League winners, further cementing Flick’s status as a coach for the biggest occasions.
The momentum did not stop there. Bayern went on to win the UEFA Super Cup, overcoming Sevilla 2-1.
Only days later, Flick added another trophy by beating Borussia Dortmund 3-2 in the German Super Cup.
His final act with Bayern in a decisive match came at the Club World Cup, where they edged past Tigres UANL 1-0 to complete a historic sextuple.
Barcelona’s dominance
Since arriving at Barcelona, Flick has continued that same trend. So far, he has contested two finals with the Blaugrana, and both have come against none other than Real Madrid.
The first was the Spanish Super Cup, where Barcelona delivered a stunning 5-2 victory.
The second was the Copa del Rey final, a far tighter contest, but one that still ended with Barcelona lifting the trophy after a 3-2 win.
Now, Flick is preparing for his third final as Barcelona manager, once again facing Real Madrid.