Barcelona ready to give Xavi new role if he decides to leave club manager post in the summer - Reports
Spanish giants Barcelona are reportedly ready to give Xavi a new role if he goes through with his decision to step down from his managerial duties this summer.
According to reports from Barca Reservat (via TV3), one of the major complaints for Xavi during his tenure in charge of the Blaugrana has been a lack of respect and appreciation for his work. By creating a new, designated role for him, club president Joan Laporta will be trying to show Xavi that he values his contributions to the club.
A graduate of Barca's famed La Masia academy, Xavi spent 17 highly successful seasons at the club. He made 767 appearances for the Blaugrana, scoring 85 goals and providing 185 assists. As a player, he won four Champions Leagues, eight La Liga titles, three Copas del Rey, six Supercopas de Espana, two UEFA Super Cups, and two FIFA Club World Cup titles at Barca.
After a brief stint at Qatari side Al-Sadd, he came back and took over Barca's top job in 2021. With an influx of youth, he rebuilt the squad, taking them back to the summit of Spanish football. He won La Liga and the Supercopa de Espana in the 2022-23 season.
Laporta will offer Xavi the position of ambassador of the Barca Foundation along with Alex Roca, who became the first person with 76% disability to complete a full marathon in March 2023.
According to reports, Laporta is eager to change Xavi's mind about leaving the managerial job if things go well until the end of the current season.
The manager himself has given no signs of a change of heart, and still remains committed to his decision to step down at the end of the season. However, Barcelona have reportedly put their managerial search on hold in the hope that Laporta can convince Xavi.
Barcelona wonderkid Pau Cubarsi follows teammate Lamine Yamal and wins La Liga award
Barcelona's wonderkid defender Pau Cubarsi followed in his teammate Lamine Yamal's footsteps as he won the best U23 player in La Liga for the month of March 2024.
The 17-year-old made his senior debut midway through the season, but has already become a key member of the Barca first team. He has now established himself as a starter in Xavi's lineup.
Cubarsi has helped Barca keep five clean sheets in his 10 senior outings, with three of them coming in March against top opposition like Athletic Club and Atletico Madrid.
The announcement, made across La Liga's social media handles, comes just a day after Lamine Yamal won the league's Goal of the Month award for March.
The young forward won it for his incredible strike against Real Mallorca during Barcelona's 1-0 win on March 9.