By Wilson Florez
May 18, 2024, 08:59 AM EDT
At FC Barcelona there seems to be no peace. Although it seemed that Xavi Hernández would stay at the club for one more season, reports indicate that this option is once again shaky. Rafa Márquez would be the fire extinguisher of the board.
Several reports have explained that within the club there are certain tensions between Xavi Hernández and the leadership. The club’s strategist made some statements about the financial situation of the club and Vitor Roque. This would not have been to Joan Laporta’s liking.
In this sense, the journalist Fabrizio Romano explained that given this problematic climate within the club, Rafa Márquez once again sounds like a possibility to take charge of the FC Barcelona first team.
“There are conversations right now at Barça, a tense situation between president Laporta and Xavi. Xavi’s recent statements about the financial situation and Vitor Roque, key points. Rafa Márquez remains at the top of the club’s list; waiting for the final decision on (the future of) Xavi“explained the journalist through his social networks.
🚨🔵🔴 Internal talks ongoing right now at Barça, tense situation with president Laporta unhappy with Xavi.
Xavi’s recent words on financial situation and also on Vitor Roque, key points.
🆕 Rafa Márquez remains high on club’s list, still waiting for final decision on Xavi. pic.twitter.com/z9mTxqKUQo
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) May 17, 2024
Rafa Márquez took over the reins of Barcelona Atlético in July 2022. This has been the Mexican’s longest experience in charge of a team. He had previously directed RSD Alcalá and led Atlas from the sports direction.
From the FC Barcelona subsidiary team, Rafa Márquez has directed 76 games. The Mexican has adapted to the philosophy of the Blaugrana team and has left records of 37 wins, 20 draws and 19 losses.
According to information from Transfermarkt, The contract of the “Kaiser” in the Blaugrana team ends in June of this year. Despite this deadline, everything indicates that the Aztec will remain at the club, either in the first team or remaining in the reserve team.
All roads lead to the Kaiser
Rafa Márquez would be the number one option to replace Xavi Hernández on the bench of the Barça first team. The former Mexican soccer player would have the support of several members of the FC Barcelona board.
“The top candidate right now to take the team is Rafa Márquez (…) It is the name that a sector of the board likes the most, starting with Deco (Barcelona sports director)“said Jordi Basté, from RAC1, and Miguel Rico from Mundo Deportivo.
It is estimated that a new meeting with Xavi Hernández will take place next week. But this time the chips are given to thank the former FC Barcelona player. In this sense, Márquez would have free rein to leave Barcelona Atlético and take over the reins of the first team.
“With the objective achieved, next week, according to what the club points out, It will be time to talk to Xavi again and announce the change on the bench”, a decision that the president has already made and that, according to the same sources, could only avoid another radical turn of events, something that can never be ruled out at Barça in recent times,” the report completes.
Keep reading:
· Carlo Ancelotti reacted to Xavi Hernández’s change of opinion
· Rafa Márquez attacked the Mexican coaches
· Rafa Márquez gets more approvals to join FC Barcelona
· Raphael Varane would have been linked to the UANL Tigres