SUMMARY
- Xavi has failed to get the best out of his Barca squad in regards to the expected on-field performances. Thus decided to retire.
- As per the reports, the Brazil-born manager Thiago Motta currently stands at the pole position to take the reign at FC Barcelona after Xavi's departure.
The current manager of La Liga club FC Barcelona, Xavi has been under pressure for quite some time now. The 44-year-old manager hasn’t had the best of the spells at the club in recent times. Xavi has failed to get the best out of his Barca squad in regards to the expected on-field performances.
Xavi was appointed as the club’s manager in November 2021. His current contract with the Spanish club runs till June 2025. However, the manager has decided to take an early exit from his position at the club. He will be leaving the club at the end of the 2023-2024 season.
Xavi announces that he will leave Barcelona at the end of the season 😱 pic.twitter.com/APPCoXxQSH
— B/R Football (@brfootball) January 27, 2024
Xavi managed to garner some kind of momentum back by winning three back-to-back games at FC Barcelona. However, his decision to exit the club before the end of the contract period comes as a surprise to the soccer hierarchy. Here we look at some of the potential candidates who have the best odds to replace him at Barca.
Thiago Motta leads the race for the position of Barcelona’s next manager
As per the reports, the Brazil-born manager Thiago Motta currently stands at the pole position to take the reign at FC Barcelona after Xavi’s departure. He is currently in charge of the Seria A club Bologna in Italy. Thiago has impressed during his time as the manager of the Italian club.
🚨🚨🌕| Thiago Motta is a serious candidate to replace Xavi in the summer. Joan Laporta likes him a lot. @carrusel pic.twitter.com/pDJW1bcoRz
— Managing Barça (@ManagingBarca) January 26, 2024
Thiago Motta’s club Bologna currently stands in seventh position in the Seria A table. They are just three points behind the Champions League spot. He has turned the team from a mid-table side to a club in contention for the European spots. His current contract with Bologna expires in June 2024. It is the same period when Xavi will take his departure.
Jose Mourinho and others in line to replace Xavi at Barcelona
The Portuguese manager Jose Mourinho was recently sacked by the Seria A club AS Roma. However, he managed to take his club to the Europa Conference League title in the year 2022. He has also won several other major trophies in his career. With such an amount of experience throughout his career till now, he stands a decent chance to be appointed as the next FC Barcelona manager.
The current Real Sociedad manager Imanol Alguacil, has built his reputation as one of the best managers in La Liga in recent times. Under his reign, the club lifted the Copa del Rey title in 2021. Also, his experience as a La Liga manager may work in his favor to land him a job at Barcelona.
The manager of Barcelona’s reserve side Barca Atletic, Rafael Marquez may also be looked upon as one of the potential candidates to take over from Xavi. The 44-year-old has done a decent job with his current team. Also, his stint at Barcelona during his playing career can serve as an advantage for him. With a ray of well-versed managers available, it remains to be seen, which way the Spanish club goes.