Fabregas talks Xavi, Thiago Motta, Napoli clash, coaching Barcelona in the future: “You never know”

Speaking in an interview with Catalunya Radio (h/t Mundo Deportivo), former Barcelona midfielder Cesc Fabregas has refused to rule out the possibility of him coaching the team in the future.

Fabregas, an icon at Barça, retired as a player at Serie B side Como in the summer of last year, following which he took over as the manager of the Italian outfit’s Under-19 side.

In November, the 36-year-old was appointed as the caretaker manager of Como for a month, before Osian Roberts was brought in and now Fabregas serves as his assistant at the Italian second-division outfit.

Fabregas not ruling out future Barcelona move

While he is still in the nascent stages of his managerial career, Fabregas refused to rule out the possibility of coaching Barcelona in the future, although he admitted that there is a long way for him to go to reach such a position.

“Coaching Barça one day? That’s something you never know. I think that first I have to grow, take steps…. That’s why I’m happy where I am, because I’m not under too much pressure,” he said.

“in the end, you can be judged, you can be told you’re very good, or not, but in the end it’s the work you do day by day…. There are coaches who, so to speak, are not well regarded, but you see them working every day and you think: this is a crack. You have to feel good about yourself.”

On Xavi’s situation and Thiago Motta

Xavi will leave Barcelona at the end of the season. (Photo by PAU BARRENA/AFP via Getty Images)

Fabregas then discussed the situation which Xavi finds himself at Barcelona and the manager’s comments about the pressure at the club being the highest.

“I can’t speak for anyone because what Xavi has lived through is what he has lived through and the pressure must be insurmountable,” Fabregas remarked.

One of the names linked with replacing Xavi at Barcelona at the end of the season is Bologna manager Thiago Motta. And when asked about the former midfielder taking over in Catalonia, Fabregas said:

“Motta’s Bologna team does things that Barça have not done in recent years, but he has ‘sucked’ Barça, he knows the club and I really like the football of his teams; I’m sure he could adapt to Barça’s system. On a footballing level, he is showing a lot.”

Fabregas also gave his two cents about Barcelona’s upcoming UEFA Champions League Round of 16 contest against Napoli, saying:

“Barça are a little bit better. Napoli are capable of playing a great game, but the next game they don’t have the consistency to play another one. They have good players, of course, but for me Barça are the favourites.”