Barcelona president Joan Laporta has, in the early hours of Friday, provided an update on the club’s ongoing search for a new manager.
It is of course common knowledge across the world of football that the Blaugrana brass have long kicked into gear efforts to source a head coach ready to take up the reins at the club in the summer.
As much comes after Xavi, late in January, announced his intention to step down from his post upon the conclusion of the campaign.
First steps towards negotiations with a whole host of tacticians, in turn, have already been kickstarted.
And yet, recent media speculation has pointed towards Barcelona’s managerial operation, for the time being, having essentially been put on hold.
Why? Despite his public insistence that the decision has been made, the Catalans are hopeful of Xavi changing his mind, to stay put for next season.
Speaking in an interview with Mundo Deportivo on Friday morning, it therefore came as little surprise when the subject of ongoings behind the scenes at the club was put to aforementioned Barcelona chief Joan Laporta.
And the Spanish patron’s response proved an altogether insightful one.
In one fell swoop, Laporta confirmed that he maintains ‘love’ for former Barca boss Luis Enrique, super agent Pini Zahavi is relentlessly pushing Hansi Flick for the Camp Nou post, and that, as reported in the media, no final call will be made ‘until Xavi makes the decision’:
“I tell Xavi: ‘Since you said it, that’s it, you’ve won again’. And we wink at each other saying that something could happen.
“I love Luis Enrique although we haven’t spoken to anyone. Pini Zahavi insists on Flick but whoever wants to come will have to wait until the end. We’re not going to touch anything until Xavi makes the decision.”
Conor Laird | GSFN
