Barcelona are on the search for a new manager after club legend Xavi confirmed he will leave his role at the end of this season.
The 44-year-old, who was appointed as the manager of Barca in November 2021 following the departure of Ronald Koeman, has won 76 games out of a possible 122 during his turbulent reign at the Camp Nou.
He helped the Spanish club to a historic La Liga title last season, pipping rivals Real Madrid to the post by an impressive ten points, but their lack of progress in the Champions League has been a huge talking point.
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He has recently confirmed he will depart the Catalan club at the end of the current season, with Barca currently sitting fourth in the table and 10 points behind leaders Real.
Xavi gave some frank reasons why he will be leaving Barca, admitting he decided to leave at the beginning of this campaign and claiming that his role is not valued enough.
He said: "The decision about my resignation has been made for a long time, our work is not valued enough. That’s why I had decided from the beginning of the season to leave.
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"I don’t rule out a return to Barca. I’m a club man. But I don’t think they don’t need me now. We need another person, another type of coach.
"I have the feeling that the job, which is very good, is not valued."
Of course, the dream scenario for Barca would perhaps be to bring back Pep Guardiola to the Camp Nou, after he managed the club between 2008 and 2012 to three La Liga titles and two Champions League crowns.
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After a successful three years in charge of Bayern Munich, Guardiola has been at Manchester City since 2016.
In that time, Guardiola has overseen one of the most dominant periods of success in English football, winning six Premier League titles and the Champions League last season as City claimed a historic Treble.
Barca president Joan Laporta has now addressed the prospect of Guardiola returning to the Camp Nou, whom he played for during his playing career before entering management.
But Laporta appears to have cooled suggestions Guardiola will be heading back to Catalonia this summer, pointing out that his contract at the Etihad Stadium runs beyond then, with a current expiry of 2025.
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Speaking to RAC1 about Guardiola, Laporta said: "He has a contract with Manchester City and he respects contracts.
"I speak often with him and I know what the club thinks about him."
It remains to be seen who becomes the new boss at the Camp Nou, but it will be an intriguing decision.
Topics: Barcelona, Manchester City, Pep Guardiola, Xavi, Joan Laporta
John McDougall