Barcelona Deco rules out another manager from Xavi Hernandez replacement race

Barcelona Sporting Director Deco has eased away from several coaches following the announcement made by Xavi Hernandez that he would be leaving at the end of the season. There is little clarity on who will be the next coach in Catalonia, nor what kind of profile they may have.

After it was reported last week that Porto manager Sergio Conceicao had fallen out of consideration, his rival at Sporting CP Ruben Amorim was put to Deco during an interview with Nascer do Sol. Sport carried his words.

“Now, all hypotheses are on the table. But which Portuguese coach? How many are prepared to take charge of Barcelona, its weight and responsibility? Furthermore, this Barcelona, with all the difficulties that entails. I know that Ruben Amorim is doing a good job at Sporting and that he plays a similar style to Barcelona, but I think he has very little experience.”

Amorim has spent the last four years at Sporting, where he has won a Portuguese league, three league cups and a supercup, after a brief spell at Braga. In recent years Barcelona have looked towards managers who have a link to the club from their playing days, but neither Xavi Hernandez nor Ronald Koeman have convinced on a regular basis, despite a Copa del Rey, La Liga title and a Spanish Supercup.