Report – 45-year-old manager now best placed to replace Xavi at Barcelona

Tuesday night saw Barcelona’s hopes of reaching the UEFA Champions League semifinals for the first time in over five years come crashing down as PSG defeated them 1-4 (4-6 agg.).

The result also possibly puts an end to any hope that Xavi Hernandez might continue as manager beyond the current season.

The former midfielder had already announced his decision to leave at the end of the season back in January. But a spectacular turnaround in form meant that the club administration, led by president Joan Laporta, have been trying to convince him to stay on.

There was some belief that Xavi might continue if Barça were to go deep in the UEFA Champions League, but that does not seem likely any longer.

Rafa Marquez the best placed to replace Xavi

Now, AS reports that Xavi’s time at Barcelona will definitively come to an end at the end of the season and Barça Atletic coach Rafa Marquez is the best placed to replace him.

As per the report, after the elimination from the Champions League at the hands of PSG, Xavi is practically history and the door is open to the search for a new coach.

At the moment, Marquez is the best positioned to take over the reins of the Barça first team. No imminent moves are expected, but a defeat on Sunday against Real Madrid could precipitate events.

Xavi unlikely to change his mind. (Photo by JOSEP LAGO/AFP via Getty Images)

President Laporta has been insistent on trying to convince Xavi to continue, but the manager has held firm on his stance of wanting to leave, which he maintained after the PSG defeat.

With the team out of the Champions League and eight points behind Real Madrid in La Liga, Xavi’s time has run out, the report argues.

Marquez the in-house bet

Barcelona sporting director, Deco, admitted that there was no plan in place yet to replace Xavi last Saturday in Cadiz.

Now, whether Deco’s statement is true or not, the plan must be activated. Because Xavi’s door has now closed definitively and given the club’s economy,…

Source link : https://barcauniversal.com/report-45-year-old-manager-now-best-placed-to-replace-xavi-at-barcelona/

Author : Michel Durant

Publish date : 2024-04-17 08:29:28

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.