The future of the Barcelona bench is an unknown for next season, with Xavi Hernandez having announced his exit, but no clear replacement lined up and plenty of talk about him changing his mind. He could well stay for lack of a better option.
Barca Atletic manager Rafael Marquez is the current favourite as an alternative, but like the external candidates Thomas Tuchel or Hansi Flick, none have convinced the hierarchy entirely. Within that hierarchy, there are also certain figures backing Xavi and others that are not.
Subsequently, Sport have also added that President Laporta feels that Xavi will maintain more of the focus of the media, rather than dropping the bill for bad results at his door if Marquez is in charge. He feels there is a chance that Marquez might not last an entire season.
It is not lost on Barcelona that Mikel Arteta at Arsenal, Pep Guardiola at Manchester City and Luis Enrique at Paris Saint-Germain are all out of contract in the summer 2025, and they could try to persuade Xavi to fulfill his contract, buying time before going for a manager that they are more convinced by.
Regardless of who Barcelona go with next season, it seems a bad idea to go with a place-holder for a season. In Xavi’s case, that would be a temporary solution that already isn’t functioning well. The lack of planning for the next campaign at these heights of the season will surely be a concern for Cules too, given a difficult summer is likely on the way.
Slow-Kelvin_10
0
If the put you as Barcelona coach believe me you will fail. You talk what you saw after it has happened 🤣🤣. Do you know it could have been worse if those people played ?? You never know. Where you at training to know if they were fit to play the game ?? Lol fans can only say what they think. You need to be there to really understand why they were on the bench
Could have been worse? This is the dumbest shit I’ve heard all year They still failed to qualify didn’t they? What worse could have happened? That Camp Nou would’ve been hit with by earthquake?
snapsv
0
Barca fans easily forget The number of times Xavi has messed up with stupid starting lineup in tough games that lead to UCL elimination for the past few years. Starting Sergi Roberto over Ansu Fati and Ferran, resulting in Man Utd eliminating them from Europa League Benching De Jong and Kessie to play Gavi and Pedri against Inter only for them to be bullied in the midfield, this also led to a loss and UCL elimination… I can go on and mention a lot more Even against Madrid earlier this season he benched Felix and Ferran and started Sergi Roberto, also forced the defenders to play a high line against Vinicius and Rodrygo, leading to a Classico humiliation …Xavi won the La Liga with a lot of 1-0 victories, tolerating mediocrity. Now u want him to stay?
If the put you as Barcelona coach believe me you will fail. You talk what you saw after it has happened 🤣🤣. Do you know it could have been worse if those people played ?? You never know. Where you at training to know if they were fit to play the game ?? Lol fans can only say what they think. You need to be there to really understand why they were on the bench
cunbinpsu
0
Really? Xavi is far better than Luis Enrique. Arsenal has spent over £500m in recruiting new players since Arteta was appointed as a coach. Have they won anything other than FA cup and Community Shield. Do you think, Arteta will play a Lamine Yamal, Pau Cubarsi, Hector Fort or Fermin Lopez in his team or tolerate a defender is always prone to making mistakes or a lazy midfielder who sees the club as his comfort zone. Guardiola is a man of principle, he will always support the club from the distance but will never accept the Barca coaching job to replace a man he groomed as player/coach. Xavi.
And you think Xavi will do better in Arsenal, you think EPL is Laliga were Xavi only has Real madrid to worry about, Xavi will take Arsenal to Relegation, After all he has relegated Barca to Europa League two times, And besides it is the greatest sin against the world to say Xavi is better than Enrique, even if you give Xavi, Mbapp and Haaland he can not win the Champions League, the best he can do is to turn them to defenders. PSG is not better than Barca in squad, Barca is equal to PSG in squad with fact, in defense PSG and Barca are 50/50, in midfield Barca are superior because Gundagon, Dejong, Pedri are better than Fabia Ruiz, Vintinha, warren Zaire and yet PSG hold and control the ball possession than Barca. in Fwd is also 50/50 because many will pick Yamal over Barcola, why Rafinha and Dembele are at the same level in football, Lewandoski is also on the same level with mbapoe although mbappe is better because his younger. a good coach can defeat any team with this barca squad and even win laliga and champions league, so Xavi should stop crying like a baby that he has a weak squad, koman would have don better with this squad, had players like dest, Luke de jong, nico to play with, but board sold the barca studio to fund players for Xavi., ferran, rafinha, adama traore, kessie, Felix, gundagon, joao, kunde, romoue
sarabia007
0
Barca fans easily forget The number of times Xavi has messed up with stupid starting lineup in tough games that lead to UCL elimination for the past few years. Starting Sergi Roberto over Ansu Fati and Ferran, resulting in Man Utd eliminating them from Europa League Benching De Jong and Kessie to play Gavi and Pedri against Inter only for them to be bullied in the midfield, this also led to a loss and UCL elimination… I can go on and mention a lot more Even against Madrid earlier this season he benched Felix and Ferran and started Sergi Roberto, also forced the defenders to play a high line against Vinicius and Rodrygo, leading to a Classico humiliation …Xavi won the La Liga with a lot of 1-0 victories, tolerating mediocrity. Now u want him to stay?
the most annoying part is his boring and slow tactics, is like he has nothing tactical in his brain,just crossing spam , and sluggish passing d ball around, someone that bottled the Europa league title against franfurt
JAGOTS
0
Give Xavi more time and support him with funding and players he wants. You will see the result
But that is what these plastic fans don't appreciate Barca is broke......they can't put pen to paper to get not even 3 good and needed players that the club needs and money can buy and these fanboys expect miracles with what they have as a team........
cunbinpsu
0
Barca fans easily forget The number of times Xavi has messed up with stupid starting lineup in tough games that lead to UCL elimination for the past few years. Starting Sergi Roberto over Ansu Fati and Ferran, resulting in Man Utd eliminating them from Europa League Benching De Jong and Kessie to play Gavi and Pedri against Inter only for them to be bullied in the midfield, this also led to a loss and UCL elimination… I can go on and mention a lot more Even against Madrid earlier this season he benched Felix and Ferran and started Sergi Roberto, also forced the defenders to play a high line against Vinicius and Rodrygo, leading to a Classico humiliation …Xavi won the La Liga with a lot of 1-0 victories, tolerating mediocrity. Now u want him to stay?
My brother leave this Lil baby generation of Barca fans, They think Xavi with his boring football tactics can challenge Real Madrid next season, not to talk off Champions League, Xavi has been Barca worst coach in Europe, he is the reason we are not playing in the Fifa club world cup next year
cunbinpsu
0
Well, "what goes around comes around", Since Laporta is playing mind games by using Xavi as a shield, we shall know who is going to take the blame next season when Xavi fails to deliver
Slow-Kelvin_10
2
Barca fans easily forget The number of times Xavi has messed up with stupid starting lineup in tough games that lead to UCL elimination for the past few years. Starting Sergi Roberto over Ansu Fati and Ferran, resulting in Man Utd eliminating them from Europa League Benching De Jong and Kessie to play Gavi and Pedri against Inter only for them to be bullied in the midfield, this also led to a loss and UCL elimination… I can go on and mention a lot more Even against Madrid earlier this season he benched Felix and Ferran and started Sergi Roberto, also forced the defenders to play a high line against Vinicius and Rodrygo, leading to a Classico humiliation …Xavi won the La Liga with a lot of 1-0 victories, tolerating mediocrity. Now u want him to stay?
returnofthesaith
1
Really? Xavi is far better than Luis Enrique. Arsenal has spent over £500m in recruiting new players since Arteta was appointed as a coach. Have they won anything other than FA cup and Community Shield. Do you think, Arteta will play a Lamine Yamal, Pau Cubarsi, Hector Fort or Fermin Lopez in his team or tolerate a defender is always prone to making mistakes or a lazy midfielder who sees the club as his comfort zone. Guardiola is a man of principle, he will always support the club from the distance but will never accept the Barca coaching job to replace a man he groomed as player/coach. Xavi.
JKK
1
Give Xavi more time and support him with funding and players he wants. You will see the result
malablata
0
Just few days ago they were begging Xavi to stay..... Two games.... They are now holding him to buy time.... 😂😂😂😂
tecamnr
1
Barcelona gets worse and sadder day by day