As per Spanish rumors, Barcelona is keen to proceed without Xavi and might quicken its succession plan following this weekend's Clasico matchup with Real Madrid. This week, in the Champions League quarterfinal matchup against Paris Saint-Germain, the Catalan club gave up a 4-2 aggregate lead before giving up four goals following Ronald Araujo's red card. Barcelona had anticipated that Xavi, who had previously declared he would retire at the conclusion of the season, would be able to take the squad to the championship game at Wembley, particularly because PSG and Borussia Dortmund are playing in a favorable semifinal match.
They were, however, ousted early and now have a crucial La Liga Clasico to face. Their ambitions of winning the league would almost end if they lost at the Bernabeu, as a defeat would leave them behind by 11 points.
A victory there may put them within five points of the league leaders. After losing in the Clasico, the Spanish publication Sport claims that Barcelona's early elimination from the Champions League may finally put an end to Xavi's future and the managerial crisis at the team.
Joan Laporta, the president, had hoped to talk Xavi out of resigning and into staying on at the club. That now looks improbable, though, and Barcelona wants to get the managerial situation resolved as soon as possible. Rafael Marquez, a former B-team coach and defender, is currently the most likely successor.
Barcelona had planned to push hard until the very end of the season in the hopes that Laporta's team might convince Xavi to stay. But the head coach has made the decision not to go on. When Xavi first declared he would depart in February, the team had been considering other management choices.
However, Laporta urged Deco to postpone seeking a replacement in an effort to get Xavi to rethink his mind. Though it appears Barcelona will take a different approach, names like Thomas Tuchel, Hansi Flick, Roberto De Zerbi, and Mikel Arteta of Arsenal were considered for the role.