Barcelona has decided to restructure their fitness team in summer 2026 following injury problems to key players during the 2025/26 season.
Julio Tous, head of fitness, was given full responsibility for the team’s physical preparation last summer, but after a series of injuries hit the squad in the first three months, players expressed complaints and manager Hansi Flick lost confidence in the setup. As a result, Tous has been reassigned within the club to oversee the development of promising young players.
Flick sought to appoint Dr. Holger Broich, an experienced fitness coach and sports scientist who previously worked with him at Bayern Munich, as Tous’s replacement. However, Broich declined Barcelona’s approach and instead accepted a role as Head of Diagnostics for performance, fitness, and sports science at the Schwarz Group, according to BILD via MD.
Injuries affected several key Barcelona players last season, including Raphinha, Pedri, and Lamine Yamal, with some suffering relapses upon attempts to return. Despite this, Barcelona outlasted Real Madrid in the title race, although injuries impacted their Champions League campaign, seeing them face Atlético Madrid in the quarter-finals without Raphinha, Alejandro Balde, and Frenkie de Jong.
