Deco discusses Xavi’s situation, reacts to Klopp and Motta links

Barcelona’s sporting director Deco, has spoken over the imminent departure of head coach Xavi, revealing that the club had wanted the Spaniard to continue for another two years.

Speaking to La Vanguardia, Deco admitted that he didn’t expect to hear Xavi’s decision about his future, via the press, especially since he’s with him on a day-to-day basis.

“I did not expect it. I am with him on a day-to-day basis and we have been planning arrivals like Vitor Roque’s for weeks, or deciding if with Balde’s injury, we had access to signing a replacement in winter,” he said.

He added: “There is always speculation, but I never thought about that. We were talking about the next season, he was renewed for that reason. 

“The president always wanted to be with him until the end of his term. It was Xavi who from the beginning wanted a shorter contract. He told us: “If I don’t win, I don’t think I will continue.”

Deco on Xavi’s replacement

The Portuguese legend was asked about the possibility of appointing Jurgen Klopp—who has also announced his departure from Liverpool at the end of the season— or his former teammate and Bologna manager Thiago Motta as Xavi’s successor.

His response: “He [Klopp] is a great coach, but I think this is not the time to talk about that. The new technician will want to make changes, but first, the project and the ideas will have to be explained to him. There are many options.”

“I don’t follow Motta’s work much because he is not in an Italian team that I usually see. Yes to Marquez, because he is here. He is a young coach who is growing in the face of difficulties. Being here will make you a better coach.”

Deco’s criteria for new manager

Deco’s prerequisites for the new manager, however, reads: “They must follow the line of the work being done, it is unlikely that we will be a team that does not want to play well, that does not want to have the ball. 

“Starting from that idea, each coach has their own characteristics, but whoever comes has to have ambition and hunger to do great things. And know where they come from,” he concluded.