Barcelona legend Gerard Pique believes that Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta and Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola are “obvious” candidates to replace Xavi as the new manager of Barcelona.
Xavi recently announced that this season will be his last as the head coach of the Spanish giants, prompting the search for a suitable replacement.
While Arteta helped Barcelona win La Liga last season, they are currently 11 points behind league leaders Real Madrid.
Pique, however, feels that Arteta or Guardiola would be ideal choices for the job. Guardiola, in particular, is regarded as one of Barcelona’s greatest-ever managers, having previously led the team to numerous successes before his departure in 2012.
Arteta, on the other hand, may not have had a senior appearance for Barcelona during his playing days, but he progressed through their ranks and gained valuable experience in the Premier League with Everton and Arsenal.
Barcelona’s fortunes have improved since Xavi announced his departure, and Pique believes that he might stay.
However, if he does leave, Pique suggests that either Arteta or Guardiola would be well-suited to take over. “To manage Barca, you need to be a specific type of coach and understand the way Barca play,” Pique said in an interview with The Sunday Times.
“The obvious choices are Guardiola, because of his past here, and because he is the best coach right now, and Arteta. He would also be a good fit, as he understands Barcelona and has played for the club in the past.”
When asked if he thinks Guardiola would ever manage Barcelona again, Pique responded, “You would have to ask him. I still speak to him sometimes, and I am sure he and Barcelona people would love to see him back.”
While Pique believes that Xavi might stay, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano refutes this claim, stating that Barcelona’s plans for a new manager are “not changing.”
According to Romano, Xavi made it clear months ago that he would leave Barcelona, and the club is actively searching for a new coach.
Article updated 2 months ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
