Barcelona manager update: meeting details, candidate holding out for Barcelona offer and Thiago Motta | OneFootball

Barcelona’s managerial situation should at least move towards a resolution next week, when Xavi Hernandez will meet with President Joan Laporta. What happens beyond that, nobody, and by following the breadcrumbs that includes Laporta and company, knows what will happen.

That meeting between the two will not just be between Laporta and Xavi though, but instead will feature the rest of the sporting commission, including Sporting Director Deco, who is preparing a report on his performance across the season. Unofficial advisor Alejandro Echevarria will also be there.

The word is that Laporta and Deco are both still keen to replace Xavi this summer, but they will have to work out a way of persuading him to reduce his payout, as it is rumoured to be somewhere between €15-20m including his staff.

Meanwhile after Mauricio Pochettino’s exit at Chelsea, former Bayern Munich manager Hansi Flick was suggested as a candidate, but MD say that Flick will not listen to any offers until the Barcelona position is resolved. Meanwhile Deco is reportedly keen on promoting Rafael Marquez from the Barca Atletic side, but Laporta and those around him are big fans of Thiago Motta, say Sport.

The ex-Barcelona midfielder looks set to leave Bologna at the end of the season, after qualifying the Rossoblu for the Champions League. All signs suggest that Juventus will be his destination, according to reports in Italy, but Barcelona could test the waters late on.

Until Xavi’s future is resolved, there is little that Barcelona can do though. To a certain extent, Xavi has Laporta and Deco over a barrel, knowing that the Blaugrana would far rather avoid paying out €20m to get rid of him, taking into account the financial situation. It may well come down to how much Xavi wants to continue, and how much he reproaches Laporta for such a sudden loss of faith.