- With almost total security, Valverde will not continue the next campaign
Ernesto Valverde is sentenced. The coach of the Football Club Barcelona will not continue next season and from the Catalan club they are already moving to find their substitute, who will almost certainly be Xavi Hernández, current coach of Al Sadd.
As RAC1 reported Friday and Marca and As confirmed, Barcelona, through its CEO, Oscar Grau, and its technical secretary, Eric Abidal, would have offered the position of Valverde to Xavi Hernández for this season and the two next years. The idea was for Xavi to start next summer, but the latest events would have precipitated this decision.
If Xavi Hernández does not accept, he will become the number one candidate next summer. What seems certain is that Ernesto Valverde will not continue next season and even more after the defeat in the Spanish Super Cup against Atlético de Madrid.
Al Sadd sees Xavi at Barça but not “today”
Al Sadd came to the news of a meeting this Friday of Barça with Xavi Hernández, coach of the Qatari team, and acknowledged being aware that the future of Catalan is on the bench of Camp Nou but not “today”, since the former Barça is now focused on his work in Doha.
“That Xavi goes to Barcelona is normal and expected because it is his club and his first home, and he will return in the future. But today, Xavi is Al Sadd's coach,” said team principal Turki Al-Ali , in an official statement on the club's website.
“Xavi and his coaching staff are focused on tomorrow's game against Al Rayyan. We know that a club in the Barça category will use official channels to discuss issues of this size,” the statement from the Qatari team added, urging the Catalans to negotiate formally if they have decided to do without Ernesto Valverde now or at the end of the season.
Xavi has only been a coach for a few months, since last July, when he said that, despite his desire to return to Barça, he needs an apprenticeship after his retirement as a player. “I have always said, it would be an objective and an illusion to train Barça, but it is very soon, I do not feel prepared. Al Sadd is a good opportunity to gain experience,” said Tarrasa.