Spanish media: Barcelona appoint Kögel as fitness coach, results remain to be tested

According to Spanish media outlet Ara, Flick brought in Jan-Benjamin Kögel to take charge of Barcelona's fitness training. The team has reduced injury risks by adjusting strength training and post-match recovery procedures.

After Barcelona's 5-2 win over Rayo Vallecano, a pitch-side camera captured an interesting scene. Adeyemi, who came on as a substitute in the second half to replace Anthony Gordon, was wearing flip-flops during post-match recovery training. Fitness coach Pepe Conde, who was coordinating training with the other players, frowned and gestured for him to put on proper shoes. A few seconds later, the German followed the instruction and joined his teammates' training. The substitutes were carrying out fitness exercises on a nearly empty pitch at the time.

Post-match recovery training looked like a reminder from Flick to the substitute players, and perhaps even a form of punishment, but in reality it was part of the team's injury prevention plan. Injuries last season caused many problems for the team's daily work. Barcelona now hope to improve the situation through 46-year-old Jan-Benjamin Kögel. Two weeks earlier, Flick invited him, and Kögel accepted the challenge.

After winning their previous La Liga title, the Barcelona coach requested changes to the players' fitness training methods, which also meant the club had to remove Julio Tous, who was recruited in the summer of 2024, from the first team. The decision was sensitive because Tous still had the support of the sporting management, which did not want to lose authority while responding to dressing-room demands. However, the change had to be made, not only because most players requested it, but also because Flick had even said he might consider his future as coach if the club did not make changes. In the end, the club approved the decision and Tous left the first team. He continues to receive his original salary and now works as coordinator of Barcelona's sports performance optimization department.

After completing this adjustment, Flick went on holiday and handed the search for a new fitness director to Deco and Alejandro Echevarría. Many candidates were mentioned during the process, and numerous unsolicited applications were received, but Juan Laporta's two trusted assistants in football matters were unable to find a suitable candidate. Ultimately, Flick's connections helped solve the issue, leading to Kögel joining Barcelona. The two had previously worked together at the German Football Association. Kögel has not coached a team for two years, and his last position was at Portuguese club Benfica, where his compatriot Roger Schmidt was head coach. Ten years ago, he also worked with Jonathan Soriano in Salzburg. Soriano told Ara: "I remember him as a very serious person, part of a modern training system. He would run with us!"

Kögel has moved to Barcelona with his entire family. Unlike Tous, who previously only went to the training ground one or two days a week to follow up on his responsibilities, Kögel attends whenever the team trains. He quickly integrated with the German members of the coaching staff, all of whom have grown to love Barcelona because of Flick, and daily communication has been smooth. However, the people he works with most closely are the fitness coaches responsible for implementing his training plans. They are all Spanish, with most coming from other Barcelona teams, such as Lucas del Campo, who moved from the women's team. So far, Kögel has not brought any staff members he personally trusts. He has also developed a good relationship with Pepe Conde, who was previously part of Tous' team and has now adapted to the new working environment.

Although Kögel often goes to the sidelines to guide parts of training sessions, he spends the most time in the gym. During his first two months in charge, players mainly noticed changes in strength training, which had been a relatively weak area for the team last season. The importance of resistance-band exercises has decreased, while weight training has taken a larger role in fitness preparation. Post-match training has also changed. To avoid foot injuries, players are not allowed to train wearing flip-flops, which explains why Adeyemi was asked to change his shoes several days ago.

This training approach matches Soriano's memories. Soriano previously said: "We placed great importance on explosive training and wanted to maintain enough aggression during matches." This also aligns with Flick's key requirement: pressing across the entire team. Barcelona's new fitness coach can now speak Spanish quite fluently, thanks to a period of his life spent in Costa Rica. Time will show whether his training methods can reduce injuries, especially during crucial stages of the season.