Barcelona stated on Saturday that they had named former midfielder and captain Xavi Hernandez as head coach on contract till 2024, following the sacking of Ronald Koeman. The LaLiga membership received the inexperienced mild on Friday to signal the 41-year-old after paying for a launch clause in his contract with Qatari facet Al-Saad.
Xavi performed for Barcelona for 17 years, making 767 appearances and profitable 25 trophies, together with 4 Champions League victories and eight league titles. The membership chanted “Welcome back home, Xavi!” “FC Barcelona has entered into an agreement with Xavi Hernandez to be the first team coach for the current season and two more seasons,” stated an announcement titled. “Following talks with club owners over the past few days, Xavi Hernandez, a youth team product at Barca, has left his current club, Al-Sadd, in Qatar.”
Dutch coach Koeman was sacked final month after a 1-0 loss to Rayo Vallecano, which left Barca in ninth place in LaLiga. The membership are nonetheless ninth after Sergi Barjuan was appointed as caretaker coach and with a sport in hand, are 9 factors behind leaders Real Sociedad. Barjuan is about to stay in cost for his league match at Celta Vigo on Saturday, with Xavi arriving at Barcelona this weekend forward of his presentation on Monday.
“It wasn’t goodbye, it was ‘see you soon’. Camp Nou has always been my home,” Xavi stated in a video addressed to followers. “You are my fans, my people, the club I love the most I love And now, I’m coming home. See you soon, Colours. Forca Barca!” Xavi’s first sport after the worldwide break would be the native derby towards Espanyol on 20 November.
A former Spain worldwide, Xavi joined Al-Sadd as a participant in 2015, changing into head coach after hanging up his boots in 2019. In April, he led his facet to the Qatari home league title with an unbeaten facet. He turned down a possibility to educate Barca in January 2020 after the sacking of Ernesto Valverde, however remained within the job after succeeding Coman Quique Setien in August final 12 months.
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With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
