Hansi Flick is the best positioned candidate to occupy the FC Barcelona bench if Xavi Hernández finally leaves office. This Wednesday Deco and Bojan traveled to London to discuss the matter with him, as reported by Sport. The German, who was already Laporta’s number 1 option before confirming Xavi Hernández a month ago, is winning again.
Voices from the Barcelona club explain that the meeting was fluid, that Laporta wanted Deco to talk to Flick so that he could convey his opinion and that the sports director came away convinced. Flick told him, according to the same sources, that Barcelona has a good squad and that he sees himself capable of bringing out the best version of himself. However, sources close to Flick represented by Pini Zahavi point out that Barça must first close an agreement with Xavi and that nothing has been done with the German coach. That we have to wait for events to develop. “If Xavi leaves, Flick is an option,” they insist.
A decisive summit will be held next Monday in the FC Barcelona sports city. The meeting is, according to official club sources, “a regular technical meeting at the end of the season to analyze it, make notes and plan the next season.” But no one is aware that this summit comes after the doubts that have arisen again for President Joan Laporta with the continuity of Xavi Hernández a month after having ratified him.
This time, president and coach will not be alone as happened on the night of April 24 when they met at Laporta’s home. Xavi will be accompanied by his brother and his second coach, Òscar Hernández. Maybe also Sergio Alegre, third member of his staff. Along with President Laporta will be several members of the sports commission. Certainly the sports director Deco who will prepare an evaluation report, the sports vice president Rafa Yuste and the football coordinator Bojan Krkic. It is yet to be decided whether the director responsible for grassroots football, Joan Soler, and Enric Masip, Laporta’s advisor, will also attend. The presence of Alejandro Echevarría, the president’s right-hand man, is also probable. The decision made must be endorsed on Thursday by the board of directors.
If he maintains his decision to dismiss him, Laporta knows that dismissing the coach and his coaching staff would entail a cost that is close to 15 million euros. Half is Xavi’s salary. To this figure we must add the amount to hire the next coach – Hansi Flick – and his coaching staff.
Yes, there are voices from within the club that remember that, at the time, Xavi assured that he would not be a problem for Barcelona. So, in the event that there is a negotiation to dismiss him – Xavi will not resign twice – they hope that the coach will agree to give up the remaining year of his contract. So the club would only pay the salary to the members of its coaching staff.
The locker room is experiencing this situation with confusion. Although they have tried to focus on the game, not knowing if Xavi will lead them next season affects them. To the youngest ones due to lack of experience. Also to those who count less for Xavi. There are questions and no one has answers. Today, after training, the squad will have a team barbecue to close the season.
There is one game left until the end of the season and it will be played on Sunday against Sevilla at the Sánchez Pizjuán. In principle, the presence of Joan Laporta is not expected; he must travel to Bilbao on Saturday for the final of the Women’s Champions League.