Barcelona in Turmoil as Xavi Announces Departure
The calm waters do not go down in Barcelona. Despite Xavi’s announcement to leave the Barça bench at the end of the season, DT’s transition seems like it will not occur normally. The bad sports image, added to the rumors that are beginning to emerge about names to occupy the position, are causing more tension than it should be and even more so when The Spanish team still has options in the two most important competitions of the season: La Liga and the Champions League.
Among the names that Barcelona’s sports management is currently considering is that of Thiago Motta and that of the Barcelona B coach himself, Rafa Marquez. Both have been asked by the media after Xavi’s recent announcement with two very different answers. The Italian-Brazilian did not want to make reference to his possible arrival on the bench, but he did emphasize the great work done by the Spaniard on the Barcelona bench: “I’m very sorry, he was doing a great job. I also saw Klopp, who announced his farewell. I don’t know the reasons and I wish him the best,” he said.
But instead Rafa Marquez Yes, he let himself be loved and so much so that he applied as an option to take on the role, which has not gone down well in Barcelona’s noble zone. According to the newspaper Sport, His words, which reached the sports and institutional leadership very quickly, were not liked at all and caused deep discomfort and anger. They don’t understand how the Mexican, with his experience, will get into the business moments after Xavi announced his goodbye to Barça. They see it as an inopportune and clumsy gesture that does not benefit at all the rarefied atmosphere that exists in the entity.
“I will continue preparing, obviously, I am very happy with the work I am doing with the boys. It is part of the process and it will come in due time if it has to happen to me.” “And if it comes, would you be happy?” the journalist asked: “Who wouldn’t, right? But the most important thing is to continue preparing because it is my second season as a coach here. Prepare in case that moment comes.” To finish by saying that “You can’t say no to an opportunity like that.. And if it comes, I will try to be available and try to do my best.”
Rafa Márquez is a great connoisseur of the Blaugrana house and has a great relationship with president Joan Laporta and many of the members of the board, which has caused even more discomfort. Márquez himself knows that his statements have not sat well at all and that they should not occur again if he is questioned again about the possibility of replacing Xavi at the helm of FC Barcelona.