December 22, 2024
Although Xavi Hernandez currently retains the title and position of Barcelona’s manager, the 44-year-old will cease to be, after confirming he’ll depart the club at the end of the season.
Xavi who was appointed as Barca’s manager in November 2021, announced his exit from the club on January 27, in a post-match conference after leading the Blaugrana to a 5-3 loss to Villarreal.
Although his departure isn’t expected to take effect until June 30, the club will aim to appoint a successor to take over from where the Spaniard stopped, having been given sufficient time to prepare for this.
On February 5, Six Sports reported the major traits Barcelona’s sporting director Deco is eyeing in the club’s new manager, whilst also playing down the possibility of bringing Jurgen Klopp or Thiago Motta on board.
In light of these prerequisites and omission, below are Six Sports’ likely managerial candidates to take over the reins from Xavi.
Brighton & Hove Albion’s De Zerbi is one of the top profiles that fit Barça’s managerial profile and requirements, at the moment.
The 44-year-old who’s currently doing relatively well with Brighton in the Premier League has experience in the Seria A and has managed both Champions League and Europa League games.
His tactical acumen, youth development and possession-oriented style make him a desirable candidate for Barcelona’s offensive ambitions, although the fact that the Spaniard giants will have to cough up a compensation fee to bring him on board might be a major stumbling block, looking at the club’s current financial situation.
The Athletic reports that a handful of Barça’s board of directors are admirers of Roberto De Zerbi, amidst concrete of Liverpool who has also been notified of Jurgen Klopp’s departure at the end of the season.
According to multiple sources, Barcelona has approached Hansi Flick to know the possibility of having him on board.
Although Hansi Flick was sacked as Germany’s head coach for underperforming back in September 2023, the 58-year-old’s successful tenure at Bayern, where he secured the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal, and Champions League titles within nine months of appointment makes him a solid candidate for Barcelona’s board—with the possibility of signing him without coughing up any compensation making for an icing for the club.
With less than a year spent as Bayern Munich’s manager, Thomas Tuchel, according to multiple sources has reportedly offered himself to Barça, in light of his looming dismissal from the Allianz Stadium.
The German coach is currently on a poor run of games as Bayern’s manager, with the latest disappointment being a 1-0 UCL shocking defeat to Lazio, where his side registered zero shots on target.
If Tuchel doesn’t overturn the fortunes of The Bavarians in the next couple of games, he’ll be sacked, and probably appointed as Barcelona’s new manager.
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