Barcelona were ‘making progress’ in move for backup manager before Xavi U-turn | OneFootball

A fresh insight into the managerial situation at La Liga giants Barcelona has today been forthcoming.

The info comes courtesy of Diario Sport, and points towards the Barcelona brass as having been working hard on an alternative, in the case of Xavi sticking to his word to depart.

Spanish tactician Xavi of course surprised the masses on Thursday, in officially announcing his decision to see out the remaining year on his contract in Catalunya’s capital.

Following a lengthy meeting with Barca president Joan Laporta and sporting director Deco, the 44-year-old was convinced of the merits of reversing his call to move on upon the close of the campaign.

Speaking in the aftermath of as much being confirmed, Laporta, for one, was adamant that the Blaugrana had not even considered opening discussions with alternative managerial options, until a definitive answer from Xavi was received.

As alluded to above, though, if ensuing word stemming from the media is anything to go by, then such talks, in fact, appear to have been very much underway.

As per the aforementioned Sport:

‘The Blaugrana club was already making progress in hiring a new coach.’

The tactician in question? Thiago Motta.

With several leading members of the board at the Camp Nou having been far less certain than president Laporta when it came to Xavi’s continuity, it is claimed that negotiations with Bologna boss Motta were in full swing.

The former Barca midfielder, it is added, ‘is highly valued at the club and he is seen as a coach with good experience and a clear tendency to grow’.

In the end, however, the Catalans could not pull the trigger, with Motta now expected to link up with Serie A heavyweights Juventus in the summer.

Conor Laird | GSFN