As strange as it may seem, the man who announced a few months ago that he was resigning as Barcelona coach now appears to be the club’s preferred choice to lead them next season.
On 27 January, Xavi announced his intention to resign at the end of his term, calling his job at Barça “cruel”, citing concerns about his mental health and stating: “At some point you realize that it doesn’t help. there’s nothing to stay.”
But for weeks, with the team undefeated since he uttered those words – a run of 11 matches that includes reaching the Champions League quarter-finals – support for the idea of keeping Xavi increased.
Barcelona club president Joan Laporta said before the international break that he would try to persuade the 44-year-old to stay and on Saturday vice-president Rafa Yuste continued in that vein. “Xavi knows what we want,” he said. “It’s his decision – what I’m going to do as best I can is try to convince him to continue.”
So how did we get to this point? How has Barça’s managerial search influenced the club’s thinking? And to what extent is next Wednesday’s Champions League meeting with Paris Saint-Germain crucial in determining the course of events?
After legendary former club midfielder Xavi revealed his decision to leave – following a 5-3 home defeat to Villarreal which left them fourth in La Liga – Barca began their search for a successor, but he hasn’t made much progress.
Senior club sources, speaking on condition of anonymity to protect their positions, say a lack of qualified candidates is the main reason for little development – at a time when money is tight.
Several Barça executives interviewed for this article describe three types of managers in the industry. First, the high-profile individuals who tick all the boxes they’re looking for – Pep Guardiola, Luis Enrique or Mikel Arteta – but aren’t available.
Then there are what they describe as coaches who excel at managing locker room harmony; those who get the most out of a group by finding the best balance between diverse personalities.
Finally, there are those whose greatest strength is making players better: getting the best out of each individual.
Within Barça, it is believed that the latter type would suit them best. But again, club sources say no suitable candidate has been found.
As Athleticism As previously reported, former Bayern Munich and Germany manager Hansi Flick has been approached (he was offered to the club through his new agent Pini Zahavi). However, his lack of fluency in English or Spanish is considered a barrier.
As for Tomas Tuchel, the way he left his duties at PSG, Chelsea and now Bayern (which he will leave this summer) does not leave a good impression. Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi has also been mentioned, but he is still considered unproven at elite level.
Whether or not Barca can afford to pay compensation to Brighton for De Zerbi, the Italian could have more tempting offers on the table. Liverpool and Bayern are also looking for a new manager, and former favorite of both, Xabi Alonso, will remain at Bayer Leverkusen.
This is where we come to Barcelona’s finances, which are an important factor.
The name Rafael Marquez illustrates why. He has also been mentioned in recent months as an emergency option to cover the remainder of this season amid speculation poor performances could see Xavi sacked before June.
The Mexican fits this bill as his salary as manager of Atletic Barcelona (the club’s reserve team which plays in Spain’s third division) is already factored into the La Liga salary cap.
In February, La Liga further reduced Barca’s allowed salary cap (which is calculated based on club revenue) from €648 million (£554 million; $696 million) last year to a new figure of 204 million euros. The actual cost of the Barcelona squad for 2023-24 – total salaries and transfer depreciation – is officially budgeted at €492 million.
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As Barca overspends, competition rules stipulate that they must make cuts before signing more players or hiring coaching staff. Thus, from the point of view of a potential new manager, it is difficult to envisage a foreigner willing to commit when we cannot offer him certainty about the funds available for new recruits, nor guarantees that the actors keys will not be sold.
Although Márquez, 45 – another famous former Barça player – is doing a good job with Barça Atletic (they are pushing for promotion this season), he is yet to prove himself at the highest level and would have been considered an option only if Xavi’s team had been embarrassed by Napoli in the Champions League round of 16.
None of the candidates examined created an undisputed consensus among Barça’s decision-makers, fully aware of the importance of a good appointment. “We are in a situation where we cannot miss our next move,” a club source has said in recent weeks.
Staying with Xavi is seen by many as a safer bet at Barcelona. He may have flaws and areas for improvement, but it seems the club would be happy to wait for him to change his mind.
With his experience as one of La Masia’s most successful graduates, Xavi is probably the best-placed professional to continue to place his faith in the Barcelona academy; Lamine Yamal, 16, and Pau Cubarsi, 17, are the most notable young stars to emerge under his leadership this season. Relying on such talent is seen as the only option open to Barca, given their financial situation.
If he were to stay, one would expect Xavi to also enjoy a stronger position than this season. There are lessons from this campaign that he can learn from.
The first must be to take a stronger stance against decisions made by the board – Joao Felix’s loan signing on the same day as the deadline is a prime example. Xavi’s camp was opposed to the Portuguese striker’s arrival, but last-minute departures, a sudden lack of options up front and the close relationship between Laporta and agent Jorge Mendes still brought in Joao Felix in Catalonia. This decision did not bear fruit.
Xavi has also proven his understanding of the club’s team-building struggles and this season has been a humbling process for him and the players. There are already signs that such a period of introspection has had a positive effect on him and the group as a whole. Following Barca’s impressive 3-0 La Liga victory over Atletico Madrid on March 17, Robert Lewandowski spoke of an improvement in training intensity since Xavi’s departure was announced.
Keeping it is not without risks.
Convincing Xavi to stay next season would leave everyone at the club even more exposed if things go wrong. Questions would be asked, not only of the manager, but also of the club’s planning and decision-making.
Since January, Barcelona must begin laying the foundations for a new project. Justifications should be found to explain why they chose not to do so. And a new manager in the autumn would not have time to plan signings or shape the structure of the club.
Xavi also couldn’t realistically expect the pressure to ease. The unique mix of expectations and demands placed on the Barça manager will ensure this.
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For the moment, these are risks that several highly placed sources seem willing to take. They are not progressing with any candidate because their priority is to wait for Xavi.
In the past, Xavi has made no secret that he would like to manage outside of Spain, with the Premier League being one of his most attractive competitions. However, if he leaves Barcelona at the end of this season, it is hard to imagine him being considered for a vacant position among England’s ‘Big Six’ or any other elite force in Europe.
The club and the coach know each other perfectly and, even in his worst moments, Xavi reiterated that he will always be “a man of the club”. Quotes such as “The day I feel like I’m a problem here, I’ll leave” prove his love for Barca. Is there a greater display of dedication than staying while the club’s president and executives beg you to reconsider your future for the good of Barca?
However, we have seen few public indications that Xavi has changed his mind. “My thoughts are focused on staying here until June 30. Next season the plan is to rest,” he said last month.
After the 1-0 home win over Las Palmas on Saturday, he repeated that message. “Now it’s time to rest,” he said. “Nothing more, step by step.
“I insist: nothing has changed for me so far. But it’s a better atmosphere to work in than when it’s necessary to fire the manager.
If fans are wondering when to expect a new resolution, they need look no further than the Champions League quarter-final with PSG.
With Real Madrid leading La Liga by eight points, Europe’s biggest prize appears to be the only title Barca can compete for. Next week’s first leg at the Parc des Princes is a decisive meeting for the Catalans, who dream of finding a way to save their season. Progress is essential to help improve the club’s finances.
A victory against PSG would create more of a positive atmosphere around the club, and the logical hypothesis would see that this would work in favor of Xavi remaining. It’s a situation that somehow sums up some of Barca’s particular virtues and problems.
Is it functional for two games to dictate structural decisions in this way? It’s probably not, but here we are.
(Top photo: Alberto Gardin/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)