Barcelona manager target did not meet club director in London today | OneFootball

Even as we approach the final week of the 2023/24 campaign, the future of Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez remains shrouded in mystery.

There is uncertainty about whether or not the Spaniard will continue at Camp Nou, especially amid distrust growing among the board members.

In light of such uncertainty, it was reported recently that Barcelona officials flew to London to meet with the representatives of Hansi Flick, a potential replacement for Xavi next season.

Reports about Flick refuted

However, CBS Sports’ renowned journalist Guillem Balague has refuted such claims.

In a social media post, Balague has clarified that there has been no meeting in London involving Barcelona officials and Flick.

Balague adds that those close to Flick believe Xavi is more likely to stay at Barcelona than leave the club at the end of the season.

Will Xavi continue at Barcelona? (Photo by LLUIS GENE/AFP via Getty Images)

This comes despite renewed tensions over Xavi’s future and his relationship with his Barcelona bosses.

Will Barcelona retain Xavi?

The fact that Flick’s inner circle believes that Xavi will stay at Barcelona is hardly surprising, particularly because of one clear reason.

In order for Barcelona to be able to sack Xavi, the Catalans must pay a severance fee to the Spanish tactician, which could be problematic under the club’s current economic situation.

Flick, for his part, was linked with the Barça job for quite some time now. He was even determined to take on the project and was going out of his way to learn more about the club’s culture and footballing heritage.

Barcelona, of course, opted to stick with Xavi, notably announcing his prolonged stay a few weeks ago. Although a lot has changed since it won’t be surprising to see the Spanish tactician continue at Camp Nou next season.