Guardiola, Klopp, Motta: Deco’s frank confidences on the future coach of FC Barcelona

“I would like to announce that on June 30, I will no longer continue as Barça coach. I think the situation needs to change course and, as a culer, I cannot allow the current situation” announced Xavi on Saturday January 27 following a 5-3 defeat for FC Barcelona against Villarreal. A surprising announcement in a complicated season for FC Barcelona. Swept by Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup final and eliminated in the Copa del Rey quarter-final by Bilbao, the Catalan club is in third place in La Liga, eight points behind rival Real Madrid. Still in the Champions League race with a round of 16 coming up against Naples, the Catalan club is in tough times even if Xavi will remain in place until the end of the year.

In this rather tumultuous context, the management of the Blaugrana club is expected to turn the corner. While President Joan Laporta’s desire to bring back Pep Guardiola is strong, sports director Deco wanted to speak publicly in a long interview published in the columns of La Vanguardia. He first wanted to return to Xavi’s departure: “I did not expect that. I am with him every day and we have been planning arrivals like that of Vitor Roque for weeks. Or decide if, with Balde’s injury, we had the possibility of signing this winter… There is always speculation, but I never thought about it. We were talking about next season, it was renewed for this reason. He always wanted to be with him until the end of his term. It was Xavi who wanted a shorter contract from the start. He told us: ‘If I don’t win, I don’t think I’ll continue.’

Guardiola and Klopp fan decor

With Xavi leaving this summer, a new coach will have to arrive and Deco explained that for the moment no coach had been contacted by the Bluagranas. However, he has a very specific project for the successor to the 2010 World Champion: “we have to follow a line of work, we will hardly be a team that does not want to play well, that does not want to have the ball. Based on this idea, each coach has his characteristics, but the one who comes must have ambition and a thirst to do great things. Among the rumors mentioned recently, one leads to Jürgen Klopp, but Deco wanted to calm things down: “he’s an excellent coach, but I think now is not the time to talk about it. The new technician will want to make changes, but first you will have to explain the project and the ideas to him. There are many options.” Among the other names mentioned, we also find Thiago Motta (Bologna) and Rafael Marquez (FC Barcelona B).

Deco, who played with both under the Blaugrana tunic, also discussed these options: “I don’t follow Motta’s work much because he’s not part of an Italian team that I usually see. Márquez yes, because he is here. He is a young coach who is growing despite the difficulties. Being here will make you a better coach.” Deco also addressed the question of Pep Guardiola, a coach with whom he ultimately did not collaborate, but of whom he remains admiring: “When he arrived at Barça, there was talk of a big revolution, which is a big lie. Ronaldinho and I left, but there was order and his quality as a coach to build the best team I have seen in my life. And he was smart, he knew not to waste time on anything else. I would have liked to work with him to see him from the inside.” Deco and Barça will have work to do to ensure Xavi’s succession, but there is no shortage of avenues.