Al Sadd sees Xavi at Barça but not “today”

The Qatari club is confident that the Culé team will negotiate through official channels

Barça meeting with Xavi in ​​Doha as a possible substitute for Valverde

MADRID, 10 Jan. (EUROPA PRESS) –

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.

After Barça's bitter defeat against Atlético de Madrid in the semifinal of the Spanish Super Cup that is being played in Saudi Arabia, Ernesto Valverde returned to the arena. The coach already started the season with part of the fans against, for the two clubs in the Champions League against Rome and Liverpool.

Under the magnifying glass of style and with a year with more defeats than in the previous two, the third of Valverde marches with more criticism than praise, although there are still three great titles to be decided. One day after the defeat in Jeddah, Al Sadd himself drew attention to the meeting of Abidal, technical secretary of Barça, with Xavi, in what is seen as a first step to the change of Mr.

“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.