Thiago leaves Barcelona coaching role as Liverpool prepare search for new assistant

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Former Liverpool player Thiago Alcantara will leave his job as an assistant coach at Barcelona after the final match of the La Liga season this weekend.Thiago has been on Hansi Flick’s staff permanently since September 2025, helping them to a second consecutive Spanish title.However, as Flick announced during his pre-match press conference on Friday, the 35-year-old will depart once the campaign has come to an end. With Liverpool likely to be on the lookout for a new assistant coach this summer, Thiago‘s exit makes for interesting timing.

Liverpool’s 25/26 Player of the Season: Ekitike vs Szoboszlai 👊 Credit: Shaun Brooks/CameraSport/MB Media/Getty Images Flick confirms Thiago exitHaving played under some of the best managers of a generation – including both Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola – Thiago has had a fantastic coaching education throughout his career.That appears to have translated into his own work, with the Spaniard becoming a key part of Flick’s staff at Barca.However, according to the German, their time together will not continue, though it is unclear what Thiago is planning to pursue next.“He has a top-level attitude and is amazing,” Flick said.”He’s helped me a lot here at Barca, and in the last two years, he’s been incredible. We’ll miss him, but I understand he has his own plans, and that’s good.

I hope he can come back someday because we need men like him in this business.”Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty ImagesREAD MORE: How Andoni Iraola feels about taking over from Arne Slot at Liverpool midway through 2026/27Could Thiago join Liverpool?Clearly, Liverpool supporters are hoping to see a new coaching team in place at Anfield next season.But whether Arne Slot stays or not, the Reds appear likely to be looking for a new assistant, with Giovanni van Bronckhorst being targeted for a return to Feyenoord.There have been suggestions that Slot will look to bring Etienne Reijnen the other way, although the availability of someone like Thiago is certainly something worth considering.The former Spain international was brilliant in the recent Liverpool legends match, and clearly has a lot of love for the Reds. All of these things do not mean much in isolation, but it does build a picture of someone who perhaps feels that he has unfinished business at Liverpool.With a position likely to be available in the coming weeks, this is possibly something to keep an eye on.