Xavi will help Barcelona become ‘the protagonists’ again if he takes the Nou Camp hotseat, insists his former Spain team-mate Santi Cazorla and believes the club will ‘return to their style’ of possession-based football
- Santi Cazorla feels Al Sadd manager Xavi is ready to take charge of Barcelona
- Xavi is widely expected to succeed Ronald Koeman as Barcelona’s manager
- Cazorla says ex-Barcelona midfielder Xavi will help them get their style back
Santi Cazorla has backed Xavi to be a success if he becomes the new manager of Barcelona and stressed that his compatriot will help the club ‘return to their style’.
Barcelona legend Xavi is widely expected to be appointed as the club’s new manager following the dismissal of Ronald Koeman this week.
Sergi Barjuan, the coach of Barcelona B, has been placed in interim charge, but Xavi, who is currently the manager of Qatari side Al Sadd, is likely to be the permanent successor to Koeman.
Santi Cazorla believes Xavi will be a success if he becomes the new manager of Barcelona
Cazorla, who plays under Xavi for Al Sadd and was also his team-mate for Spain, believes that the 41-year-old would be the right appointment.
He told El Larguero: ‘Of course, Xavi is prepared to coach Barca.
‘Some people know the club well and know what he wants.
‘He has a clear idea of football. He wants the ball and to be the protagonists. He is going to do it in any team in the world that he trains.’
Xavi, who made over 700 appearances for Barcelona between 1998 and 2015, was renowned for being part of teams that played dynamic, free-flowing football.
Barcelona have deviated from that style somewhat in recent years, but Cazorla feels that Xavi would be the right man to get the team playing in the way they are expected to.
Cazorla plays under Xavi at Al Sadd and says the 41-year-old will help Barcelona ‘return to their style’
Cazorla said: ‘It’s what Barca need, to return to their style.
‘Xavi likes a lot of possession. He alternates between 4-3-3 and 3-4-3. Xavi always wants more and more possession.
‘Without the ball, we squeeze a lot in the block. He has an idea from the good years at Barca, when they pressed very high.’
Since taking charge of Al Sadd in 2019, Xavi has won 63 of his 95 matches in charge, drawing 15 and losing 17.
Xavi is widely expected to take charge of Barcelona following the departure of Ronald Koeman
Xavi has won numerous trophies with Al Sadd, including the Qatar Stars League and two Qatar cups.
Koeman was sacked with Barcelona languishing in ninth place in LaLiga as they have struggled to deal with the departure of Lionel Messi.
There are some hugely talented young players at the club, including Ansu Fati and Pedri, but if Xavi was to take charge there would be much work for him to do.
Xavi would face a lot of pressure, especially given his lack of managerial experience, but he would surely relish the chance to manage the club where he spent the vast majority of his decorated playing career.
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