November 03, (THEWILL) – In the wake of Barcelona’s interest in employing him as manager, Xavi has revealed that he is hoping for a “positive” outcome.
On Wednesday, Barcelona executives travelled to Qatar to meet with Xavi about the club’s managerial position. Turki Al-Ali, the CEO of Al Sadd, his current club, made the following remarks after talks with the Catalan executives:
“The club’s position is clear from the beginning — we are committed to keeping our coach Xavi with us and we cannot have him leave at this sensitive time of the season.”
But after their 3-3 draw with Al-Duhail, the former Barca midfielder Xavi said: “I don’t know what will happen, the two clubs are in talks and we will see how it pans out. I am positive. I hope there’s a solution.”
Barcelona are still looking for a replacement for Ronald Koeman, who was fired last Wednesday after a 1-0 loss to Rayo Vallecano and a 2-1 loss in the El Clasico just three days prior.
Club President Joan Laporta remained in Spain for the meetings on Wednesday.
Barcelona B team coach Sergi Barjuan, who is currently in charge of the first squad on a temporary basis, is set to remain in control for Saturday’s match against Celta Vigo.
Xavi rose through the ranks at La Masia before making his first-team debut in 1998. The 41-year-old played 767 games for his boyhood club over a 17-year career, earning eight La Liga crowns and four Champions Leagues.
He then joined Al Sadd in 2015, where he made over 100 appearances and won one league title before retiring and taking over as manager in 2019.
Xavi had agreed to a two-year contract with Al Sadd, but in May, amid speculation about the Barcelona vacancy, he signed a two-year extension.
At Al Sadd, he has had an outstanding start to the season, winning all eight of his team’s first eight games, including the Emir Cup final, further increasing his prospects.
However, the 41-year-old will be eager to return to Barcelona, where he established his name as a player. As a result, he will already be familiar with the system, philosophy, and club, making him an obvious choice for the role.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
