Xavi goes there in summer
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Joan Laporta, president of FC Barcelona, has not yet had contact with former national coach Hansi Flick during the complicated search for a successor to outgoing coach Xavi. “Deco has to decide. I haven’t spoken to any coaches. Of course, there aren’t many options. « It has to be a coach with solid experience and there are certain conditions that the new coach must accept, which are non-negotiable and which we want to maintain, like our youth structure, » Laporta said in a statement. interview on Catalan Radio “RAC1”.
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Laporta is said to hold Flick in high regard. Besides Flick, the names of Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta, Jürgen Klopp (Liverpool), Imanol Alguacil (Real Socieadad) and national coach Julian Nagelsmann were also mentioned. Klopp will leave the Reds this summer and Nagelsmann’s contract runs until July 31, 2024.
Laporta has now discussed a new name with former Barça professional Rafa Márquez (44). The Mexican coaches the second Catalan team. “Márquez is not excluded, he learned his trade here and knows the players perfectly. It’s an advantage, » said Laporta. The former central defender played for the Catalans from 2003 to 2010 and has worked since the summer of 2022 as coach of Barça Atlètic, currently 6th in the Spanish 3rd division.
Asked about successful former manager Pep Guardiola, who has a contract with Manchester City until 2025, the president said: “He respects contracts. I speak to him often and he knows what the club thinks of him. » Club legend Xavi recently announced that he will leave his post on June 30. The former midfield star returned to Barcelona as coach in November 2021, after coaching Al-Sadd in Qatar.
He won the championship and the Super Cup with the Catalans last year, but the current season is disappointing, especially in La Liga. There, the team around national team captain Ilkay Gündogan and former Bayern striker Robert Lewandowski is already ten points behind its main rival Real Madrid. However, the reigning champions are currently not looking towards the top of the table, where FC Girona are fighting for the title, but rather towards Athletic Bilbao, who are only two points behind Barça in fifth place ( of the La Liga standings).
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