‘There are great options’ for Xavi’s replacement – Pique

Former Barcelona defender, Gerard Pique says there are lots of elite coaches around the world who can replace Xavi Hernandez at the club if he sticks to his plan to leave at the end of the season.

Xavi has already announced he will leave the Blaugrana club at the end of the 2023/24 season after coming under strong criticism.

However, Pique, who played alongside the former Spain midfielder, is hopeful the latter will rescind the decision made earlier though he believes there lots of good coaches to replace him.

Speaking in an interview with Sky Sports, the 2010 World Cup winner expressed his thoughts on Xavi’s possible replacement.

“Well there are different options, and I think that right now the best coaches in the world are here in England and some of them, they had a past in the club,” he said.

“With Barcelona like Pep Guardiola, Mikel Arteta, so for sure there are great options, and another is that if they are willing to join. This is the big question mark. So let’s see. It’s a decision that the board has to make and the president Joan Laporta and it’s a very important decision for the future of the club”, he told Sky Sports.

Since Xavi announced his decision to depart Barcelona, the Catalan club has been without defeat in 10 matches and has also reached the quarterfinal of the UEFA Champions League for the first time in four years, while competing behind Real Madrid in second place in La Liga.

Pique and Xavi were teammates for seven- straight seasons and both enjoyed many successes for both Barcelona and Spain in their playing days, yet he will be hoping his old colleague’s possible departure does not happen.