The other day, we saw Hansi Flick go up against his former club in the UEFA Champions League and give them good tactics schooling. That match got us thinking, how many other times has something like this happened?
Well, you’ll find out in this post today. We would look at the 8 times coaches have thrashed their former clubs, either as a former coach or player. Without wasting too much time, let’s dive straight into the business of the day.
1) Hansi Flick
Of course, we’ll start with the man at the moment, La Liga coach of the month for October, Hansi Flick. The German wanted the Barcelona job so badly and after just a couple of months at the club, we can see why Barcelona have been flying high.
The Bayern Munich tie in the Champions League was Hansi’s first big test. Barcelona hadn’t beaten Bayern in almost a decade, suffering 6 straight losses against them and Hansi Flick was facing his former club for the first time.
A lot was hanging on this game, but Barcelona ended up making light work of it. Flick outclassed his former club tactically and ran away with a 4-1 win. Thanks to a hat trick from Raphinha and a goal from former Bayern man, Robert Lewandowski.
Luckily, he’s surely not the only former Bayern coach to do this. In fact, there are two more. Can you guess who they are? Give it a try in the comment section below, and we’ll see if you’re right later.
2) Jose Mourinho
A list like this without the special one is not complete. Jose Mourinho, absolutely thrashed his former club, Manchester United with no mercy.
As Spurs coach, he went to Old Trafford in 2020, just 2 years after leaving on bad terms, he exacted revenge on the Red Devils. He absolutely annihilated Manchester United beating them 6-1 in Old Trafford. That instantly became United’s joint heaviest defeat in the Premier League at the time. It was also the first time that a side had scored 4 first half goals against Man United at Old Trafford in a league game in over 60 years. It was an absolute mauling.
That was not the only time Mourinho won against a former club of his. As coach of Man United, he beat Chelsea 2-0 in April 2017. In addition, if you count his stint as former Barcelona assistant manager, then the list gets longer.
3) Unai Emery
Next up is Unai Emery who beat Arsenal twice in the 2023/2024 Premier League season. He beat his former club 1-0 at Villa Park and then beat them again 2-0 at the Emirates, making him the only manager who beat Arsenal home and away that season.
When you look at how weak his team was on paper and the fact that these results had a huge part to play in Arsenal eventually missing out on the title, those results begin to feel even more of a thrashing.
The 2nd leg result at the Emirates was particularly very painful for Arsenal fans, and perhaps it was made that bit more painful by the fact that it was their former coach who did that to them, someone who wasn’t given enough time at the club.
Now remember we said there are 2 former Bayern Munich managers in this video? Guess who? Well, let’s talk about one now. Read on
4) Carlo Ancelotti
Did you guess Carlo Ancelotti? If you did, then you’re absolutely correct.
In 2023, he went up against his former club, Chelsea, in the quarter finals of the Champions League, and he beat them 4-0 on aggregate. Remember, he also shattered their hearts with a late comeback the previous season in the quarter finals.
In the 2023-24 season, Ancelotti beat another former club, Napoli, home and away in the Champions League with an aggregate score line of 7-4.
Not to forget, of course, he also broke Bayern Munich’s heart, knocking them out in the semifinals of the champions league last season, courtesy of 2 late Joselu goals. This man really shows no mercy on his former clubs. Imagine what he would do to Everton if he met them somehow.
5) Antonio Conte
Speaking of Napoli, let’s talk about their current coach, Antonio Conte. This man has coached a lot of teams, so he was always gonna feature in a list like this just like Jose Mourinho.
In January 2021, when he was coach of Inter Milan, he went up against his former club, Juventus, and he beat them 2 to nil on his way to winning the Scudetto.
In 2023, when he was Spurs’ manager, he beat Chelsea 2 goals to zero in the Premier League. He also beat Atalanta 3-1 while in charge of Juventus on the last day of the 2011 season to become the first coach to finish a 38 game Serie A season unbeaten. What a wonderful record to hold.
Conte has thrashed his former teams on a few more occasions. Which other one can you remember? Feel free to share some more in the comments. Use the box below.
6) Pep Guardiola
The other former Bayern Munich manager who made the list is none other than the great Pep Guardiola. What he did to Bayern Munich when he met him in the Champions League in 2023 can’t be forgotten in the history of Champions League football. He absolutely humbled them with a 3-0 win in the quarter final on his way to winning Man City, their first ever champions league and European treble.
Pep also beat Barcelona as Man City boss. Although, he always struggled against Barcelona, failing to beat them as Bayern boss in 2015 and losing 4-0 to to them at Camp Nou as City boss in 2016.
He finally managed to break the duck against his boyhood club in 2016 beating them 3-1 at the Etihad. Thanks to a brace from Gundogan and a goal from Kevin de Bruyne.
7) Zinedine Zidane
Zinedine Zidane has coached only one club, but he played for Juventus and even became a legend there. So it counts.
As a coach, he thrashed Juventus a few times. The most memorable of all has to be the 4-1 dismantling in the 2017 Champions League final. It’s one thing to beat your former club to 4 goals but to do that in the Champions League final is just extra special.
Anyway, the following year, he beat them again winning 3-0 in the 1st leg of the quarter final in Italy. This was the game that produced that iconic Ronaldo overhead kick.
Juventus thought they could come back in the 2nd leg, but their hearts were broken by a 97th minute penalty goal which sent Zidane’s Real Madrid to the semis, and they ultimately went on to do the Champions League 3 peat.
8) Xabi Alonso
Since we’re talking about coaches against clubs they played for just like Zidane, let’s throw Xabi Alonso into the mix. On his way to winning Bayer Leverkusen the Bundesliga title in 2024, Alonso absolutely thrashed his former club, Bayern Munich, 3-0, with goals from Grimaldo, Frimpong, and Bayern Munich loanee, Josip Stanišić.
That loss definitely hurt Bayern fans for many different reasons. Xabi’s Leverkusen have faced Bayern Munich this 2024 season with the tie ending in fulltime draw. There would be a second leg. Do you think Bayer Leverkusen will come out on top once again? Drop your predictions in the comment box below.
There are certainly more times coaches have thrashed their former clubs so feel free to share them with us in the comments.
Thank you for reading. See you again.