Next Barcelona manager odds: Xavi favourite after Ronald Koeman sacked
Former Barcelona midfielder Xavi is the favourite to be the next manager of the club after they sacked Ronald Koeman following Wednesday’s defeat to Rayo Vallecano.
The 58-year-old was already under pressure after his side lost to Real Madrid at the weekend and this latest reverse proved the final straw for the board.
“FC Barcelona has relieved Ronald Koeman of his duties as first-team coach,” an official club statement read following the 1-0 loss.
Koeman, who was only appointed in August of last year, will get the chance to say goodbye to the squad on Thursday.
The statement continued: “The president of the club, Joan Laporta, informed him of the decision after the defeat against Rayo Vallecano. Ronald Koeman will say goodbye to the squad on Thursday at the Ciutat Esportiva.
“FC Barcelona wishes to thank him for his service to the club and wishes him all the best in his professional career.”
Barcelona are 9th in the La Liga table with four wins from their opening ten games, although Infogol's model based on performance has them sat in 7th.
They also sit third in Champions League Group E with defeats to Bayern Munich and Benfica damaging their chances of progression.
The club have announced B team boss Sergi Barjuan as the first-team’s interim head coach.
A club statement read: “FC Barcelona hereby announces that Sergi Barjuan, the current coach of Barca B, shall be taking provisional charge of the technical management of the senior squad. His interim position as first-team head coach shall end as soon as the club has hired a full-time head coach to replace the dismissed Ronald Koeman.
“FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta shall be officially introducing Sergi Barjuan to the first-team squad this afternoon before the training session at the Ciutat Esportiva.”
Next Barcelona manager odds (via Sky Bet)
- Xavi Hernandez - 1/5
- Roberto Martinez - 10/1
- Andrea Pirlo - 16/1
- Marcelo Gallardo - 16/1
- Brendan Rodgers - 20/1
- Erik ten Hag - 20/1
- Sergi Barjuán - 20/1
Odds correct at 0000 BST (28/10/21)
Xavi favourite for Barcelona job
Former Barcelona midfielder Xavi is currently the favourite to become the next manager of the club. He is in charge of Qatar Stars League club Al Sadd.
The 41-year-old guided them to league success in 2020/21, while also winning the domestic cup twice and the Super Cup in 2019.
A part of one of the great Barcelona teams, his fellow players firmly believed that Xavi would be the future manager in the documentary Take the Ball, Pass the Ball.
"I’ve got no doubt that he’ll be back as a coach one day," Lionel Messi said when asked.
'He deserves the chance because of the type of player he was here. He will make an amazing manager. As a player he saw the whole picture from the pitch, I'm sure from the sidelines he will see it even clearer."
Sergio Busquets agreed, stating: "He will be back one day, I don’t know when but he wants to come back and he has the same football philosophy as Pep (Guardiola)."
Belgium boss Roberto Martinez is also rumoured to be in the running and he is second-favourite in the market. Juventus great Andrea Pirlo and Leicester's Brendan Rodgers also make up the rest of the early runners, alongside current River Plate manager Marcelo Gallardo.
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