Just over two years ago, he arrived at the Camp Nou Stadium as a knight in shining armour, but Barcelona legend Xavi has just announced that he will leave at the end of the La Liga season.
Just as Jurgen Klopp’s announcement of his imminent departure from Liverpool rocked Merseyside, Catalonia has fallen silent at Xavi’s decision, which has dominated the La Liga 2024 news over the past few days. Only eight months after he led the Blaugrana to the 2023 La Liga title, a string of poor results has left them well off the pace, and Xavi has had enough.
So the runners and riders are jockeying for position as speculation starts to mount as to who will be the next head honcho in Barcelona, and there are some big names already being touted around.
Jose Mourinho, recently appointed by Roma, is one of the most successful head coaches of all time, but I don’t think the former Real Madrid manager will be at the top of the Barca fans’ lists. Equally, I don’t believe Thomas Tuchel would be a good fit.
Tuchel is still, of course, the manager at Bayern Munich, but as our SBOTOP Bundesliga round-up said, the last seven days have been awful for the Bavarians in both the league and the Champions League. Tuchel is under pressure, but he may bring Bayern’s fortunes round, and even if he doesn’t, he’s unlikely to move straight into another top job.
So who is the right fit for the Blaugrana?
Roberto De Zerbi
Brighton and Hove Albion manager De Zerbi is the man most fans and pundits are talking about. The Seagulls boss has won legions of admirers for his success on the touchline and the style of football his team plays. Brighton picked up a spectacular 5-0 win away to Sheffield United on Sunday.
Liverpool have already been linked with De Zerbi, but Barca chairman Joan Laporta is also said to be keen, and Barca sporting director Deco has already begun talks with the Premier League club. Whether the Catalans can tempt De Zerbi away from England and whether they can meet his £10 million release clause remains to be seen. But reports in the UK say the Italian’s agents met Deco last Wednesday.
Thiago Motta
A dominating midfielder with both Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, Motta would be a popular appointment with the Barca fans. He has been manager of Bologna since 2022, and Rossoblu are currently riding high in fifth place in Serie A, ahead of Roma, Fiorentina, Lazio, and Napoli.
Motta cut his managerial teeth with Spezia, taking over a team heavily touted to be relegated in 2021-22 and with a transfer ban, but he successfully guided Spezia to survival before leaving for Bologna in the close season.
His fluid style of management would suit Barca down to a tee; in an interview with La Gazzetto dello Sport, Motta said he wanted to revolutionise football with a 4-3-3 formation, which can evolve quickly into a 2-7-2.
Shades of Pep Guardiola, perhaps?
Rafael Marquez
FC Barcelona B team manager Marquez is another fan’s favourite who could do a job in the Barca dugout. A former Barcelona defensive midfielder who made 163 appearances for the Blaugrana in the early 2000s, he is widely known as one of the best Mexican players of all time, nicknamed El Kaiser, and he has been manager of FC Barcelona B over the past two years.
There is a close link between Barca B team and the La Liga side, with young players quickly rising through the ranks, such as midfield ace Gavi and, most recently, 16-year-old winger Lamine Yamal, who has burst onto the European football scene in some style. Marquez’s ability to bring on young stars, his legendary playing career, and his Barca connection are all in his favour.
Hansi Flick
There may be another wild card in the race, and a man whom Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski knows well, as former FC Bayern boss Hansi Flick, is on the job market.
In 2020, Flick led the Bavarians to a treble, winning the Champions League, Bundesliga, and DFB Pokal, and his tenure included a 23-year winning streak in all competitions. He was poached by the German national team in 2021, but that didn’t work out, and Flick was sacked in 2023.
Lewi knows how good a manager Flick can be, and it seems he’s better suited to club football at the very highest level.
Xavi will keep pushing Barcelona until the end of the campaign; eight points off the lead, they have a lot of work to do, and the La Liga 2024 betting odds say it’s Real Madrid’s to lose. There will be twists and turns to come, but then Xavi will say ‘adios amigos’ and the door will open for the next Barcelona manager.
I think it will be De Zerbi or Motta.
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