Barcelona president rules out move for 49-year-old manager due to one key reason

Barcelona are tirelessly working on identifying Xavi’s replacement for the 2024/25 season and while several names have already been shortlisted, the management has started to scrap off those who they believe are not worthy.

In that regard, journalist Jose Alvarez via El Chiringuito TV has affirmed that club president Joan Laporta rejected Sergio Conceicao of FC Porto as he believes the 49-year-old does not possess the Barcelona DNA.

Conceicao happens to have achieved significant success in Portugal, winning three league titles. Overall, the 49-year-old has won a whopping 10 titles with Porto since 2017.

So why not Conceicao?

As reported before, Conceicao’s style of play does not reflect that of Barcelona’s. The 49-year-old loves to play in a 4-4-2 setup and this is not ideal for a team like Barcelona that is used to playing in a three-man attack.

Furthermore, the 49-year-old’s reliance on physicality and brute power in certain positions on the field does not align with the president’s priorities as Barcelona are known for their technical prowess.

Sergio Conceicao has been rejected by Barcelona. (Photo by Selim Sudheimer/Getty Images)

As of now, Laporta’a aspirations are more inclined towards managers like Jurgen Klopp, although the likelihood of securing his services appears slim. This was confirmed by sporting director Deco, who said,

“Klopp? He says he wants to take a break from coaching for a while.”

Who is worthy?

The sporting director further emphasised that while acquiring a new manager considering the financial constraints is one problem, the manager, who will be hired, should be able to shoulder the burden that comes with being the Barcelona manager.

“For now, all the hypotheses are on the table. But which Portuguese coach? How many Portuguese coaches are prepared for the weight and responsibility of taking care of Barcelona, even more so this Barcelona with all the difficulties it entails? 

As of today, several names have been linked and if reports are to be believed Hansi Flick is currently leading the charge.

As for Conceicao, while he is represented by Laporta’s close friend Jorge Mendes, the move does not align with the president.