Who could replace Xavi at Barcelona? Possible candidates for the Barça job

Xavi is Schrödinger’s manager... or is Barcelona Schrödinger’s club? Who knows if the coach is in or out, rehired or semi-fired, waiting for the sack or already packing his bags?

Barcelona’s circus continues to follow them wherever they go, with the latest reports coming that Xavi is, after announcing his departure before announcing his extension, indeed set to leave the club; sources close to the club have told various Barcelona-based media outlets that the decision has already been taken.

The latest reports suggest that Xavi’s camp are extremely angry at the way events have unfolded and the manager is said to be sitting down with Laporta in order to ask for an explanation to the heated environment. It has been suggested that the decision to sack Xavi will not be made official until after Barcelona’s game against Rayo Vallecano, where the club can secure second place in LaLiga.

Why is Xavi getting sacked from Barcelona?

Joan Laporta was snapped walking to a meeting of his closest allies at Barça, with Xavi’s future the topic in question. Recent comments from the Barcelona coach regarding the financial situation at the club, as well as his stance on new signing Vitor Roque, have reportedly not sat well with Laporta.

You can’t pass Barça job up, says Márquez

After Xavi announced his planned summer departure in the wake of Barcelona’s 5-3 league defeat by Villarreal, the first to put himself forward for the post was Rafa Márquez, the head coach of Barça’s ‘B’ team.

“The board will have time between now and the end of the season to consider their options,” the Mexican told reporters. “It’s in their hands, but you can’t say no to an opportunity like that…”

Although Márquez has no experience as a head coach at the elite level, the former Barça player has a close relationship with the club’s sporting director, former Camp Nou team-mate Deco. The same goes for his rapport with Barça president Joan Laporta, with whom he has been spotted having dinner more than once in recent times.

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Motta, Conceição, Míchel, Flick...

However, there are more names on Laporta’s radar. Another ex-Barça player, Thiago Motta, emerged as a strong contender. Motta also has an excellent relationship with Deco, having likewise played alongside the former Portugal star in Catalonia. Like Márquez, though, the Bologna boss is not an experienced coach.

Meanwhile, Porto head coach Sergio Conceição will be available this summer, as he has confirmed that he’s to leave the 30-time Portuguese champions at the end of June, bringing a seven-season spell at the Estádio do Dragão to an end. The 49-year-old is likely to throw his hat into the ring.

Much closer to home, Míchel has shown himself to be a coach who’s faithful to a style of play resembling the brand of football that Barça have played in recent decades. The job he has done at Girona, who mounted a surprise title challenge in LaLiga this season, has impressed Laporta’s board - but the 48-year-old has never previously taken charge of a major club.

Hansi Flick is another name who has been strongly linked with the job and reports suggest that the former Bayern manager would be keen on the role. However, any move for the German would take time as, of course, Xavi is still in the job as things stand.

Could Jürgen Klopp become Barcelona manager?

Like Motta and Márquez, Míchel may represent too much of a gamble at a time when Barça need to make sure they’re appointing a safe pair of hands.

And then there’s Jürgen Klopp, whom Laporta greatly admires but appears highly unlikely to lure to LaLiga. The German revealed in January that he’ll be leaving Liverpool at the end of the season, after nine years at Anfield.

Klopp has said that he intends to take a sabbatical after his departure from the Premier League club, but it would be no surprise if the Barça chief at least made an attempt to persuade the 56-year-old to change his plans.