Barcelona pick Xavi replacement after Champions League exit in boost to Liverpool plans

Barcelona are ready to abandon their pursuit of Liverpool target Ruben Amorim and appoint club legend Rafa Marquez as their next manager.

Marquez, 45, has been in charge of Barca’s B team for the past two seasons, having won two Champions League titles and four La Ligas as a player. With current boss Xavi leaving his post at the end of this season, the former Mexico defender has been named ‘The Chosen One’ by Barcelona chiefs and has already expressed a willingness to take the job.

That leaves Liverpool with less competition for Amorim, who’s on course to guide Sporting Lisbon to their second league title win in just four full seasons under his stewardship. The 39-year-old Portuguese recently denied reaching a verbal agreement to replace Jurgen Klopp at Anfield, although his rebuttal hasn’t put a lid on speculation that he’ll be leaving Lisbon this summer to join one of Europe’s elite clubs.

It was recently reported that Barca had ramped up their pursuit of Amorim, identifying the ex-Benfica midfielder as the ideal successor to Xavi. Names such as Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi and former Bayern Munich and Germany boss Hansi Flick have also been frequently mentioned but Amorim had been emerging as the frontrunner.

However, Catalan newspaper Sport now say in the wake of Barcelona’s shambolic Champions League exit to Paris Saint-Germain that Marquez is ready and waiting to succeed Xavi. The Barca hierarchy had hoped to convince Xavi to make a U-turn on his decision but after Tuesday’s 4-1 defeat in the second leg he once again denied that possibility.

After PSG boss Luis Enrique declared during his post-match press conference: “Xavi is the ideal manager for Barca. I hope that he continues for many years,” he responded: “I say no to both.”

Coming towards the end of his second term with Barcelona B (now named Barcelona Atletic), Marquez has demonstrated to the club’s president, Joan Laporta, that he can get the best out of their young talents. The likes of Lamine Yamal, Pau Cubarsi, Fermin Lopez and Hector Fort have all broken into the first-team this season and impressed, all having worked under Marquez as part of the club’s famous ‘La Masia’ setup.

Your turn! Should Liverpool appoint Ruben Amorim? Join the debate in the comments section.

VILA NOVA DE FAMALICAO, PORTUGAL – APRIL 16: Head Coach Ruben Amorim of Sporting CP gestures during the Liga Portugal Bwin match between FC Famalicao and Sporting CP at Estadio Municipal de Famalicao on April 16, 2024 in Vila Nova de Famalicao, Portugal. (Photo by Diogo Cardoso/Getty Images)

The ex-Barca captain was even considered as an interim option earlier this year when Xavi was struggling to produce results, but regarding the permanent job, he’d be happy to take it. “It’s part of the process. It will come if it has to happen to me,” Marquez explained in January, shortly after Xavi announced his decision to leave at the end of the current campaign.

“Who wouldn’t want to be Barca coach? I will continue working hard, it’s only my second season as a coach. The board will have time to think carefully between now and the end of the season. But, you can’t say no to an opportunity like this.”

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