European giants identify Barcelona manager target as option to replace current boss at the end of the season - Reports
European giants Bayern Munich have reportedly identified Barcelona manager target Roberto De Zerbi as the potential successor to Thomas Tuchel.
By the conclusion of the season, Tuchel will leave his seat at the dugout in Bavaria. Though Bayer Leverkusen's Xabi Alonso is the club's top objective for the managerial role, Roberto De Zerbi has become the second choice.
Florian Plettenberg (via Barca Universal) claims that De Zerbi is thought of as a backup plan in the event that Alonso's quest is unsuccessful. The Bayer Leverkusen manager is widely believed to be the next Bayern manager. But he could move to Liverpool, where Jurgen Klopp's exit in the summer is certain.
Thanks to the quality of his tactics, De Zerbi has also drawn interest from many major European teams, including Barcelona. The Catalan giants are preparing for Xavi Hernandez's departure at the end of this season, and the Brighton & Hove Albion manager is reportedly on their list as a contender.
However, De Zerbi's contract, which expires in 2026, with the Premier League side has a €15 million release clause. Barcelona are reluctant to pay this fee though, due to their financial problems. As a result, obtaining De Zerbi may not be simple for them, paving the way for the German giants to snag him up.
Xavi Hernandez remains optimistic about Barcelona's La Liga title hopes
Xavi Hernandez hasn't given up on winning La Liga yet this season. The Blaugrana watched Girona lose 1-0 to Mallorca, while Real Madrid drew 2-2 to Valencia last weekend. There was a chance for Barca to overtake Girona reduce the eight-point gap and get closer to Madrid at the top of the table. But they also played out a goalless draw at Athletic Bilbao.
This hasn't dulled Xavi's spirit, though. Speaking to the press, he made it clear that he was upbeat about their chances in La Liga (via Mundo Deportivo):
“I don't believe that the League is not lost, this is the message, we lost a very big opportunity in San Mames, but tomorrow we have another one. Tomorrow we have another opportunity to put pressure on Madrid and Girona. The League is not lost, we are going to try until the end, until the numbers say no, and we will think about Naples on Tuesday."
Barcelona are up against Mallorca at the Olimpic Lluis Companys stadium on Friday, March 8. It will be very important if they are to improve their chances of winning La Liga. They will need to win the game and exert pressure on their opponents.