After some of the team’s recent results, Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez is under a lot of strain and scrutiny.
Six months ago, the 43-year-old guided the Catalans to the La Liga title and shortly after, he signed a new deal with the team.
But during the last month or two, things have fallen apart for him and the team, with the former midfield player under increasing pressure due to poor outcomes and dubious performances.
The 2-4 drubbing at the hands of Girona last week and the shocking 3-2 loss to Royal Antwerp in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday night have made matters worse.
As such, Xavi is understood to be losing the support of some of the Barcelona board members and questions are being asked about his suitability for the job. One more misstep in the weeks to come could spell trouble for the club legend.
If Barcelona do decide to go down that road, finding a replacement midway through the season could be a difficult task. But here are four managers who are currently not attached to any club and could be brought in by the Catalans if Xavi is relieved of his duties.
Antonio Conte
Perhaps the biggest name on the list, Antonio Conte is not a manager one would usually associate with Barcelona given the stark difference in the footballing ideologies of the two parties.
Yet, the Italian tactician is someone who brings success wherever he goes, having achieved great things with Juventus, Chelsea, and Inter Milan in the past. His last job at Tottenham did not end well though, but the 54-year-old could be an intriguing candidate for Barça.
Hansi Flick
The second manager to achieve the international sextuple in club football after Pep Guardiola, Hansi Flick will be remembered for his success story with Bayern Munich where he won two Bundesliga titles, a DFB Pokal, a DFB Super Cup, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, and the FIFA Club World Cup.
Flick left Bayern Munich in 2021 to take over the reins of the German national team, but things did not go down well for the 58-year-old with Die Mannschaft and he was sacked in September earlier this year. Given his approach to the game and immediate availability, Flick could be a potentially good replacement candidate at Barcelona.
Joachim Low
From one former Germany national team manager to another, Joachim Low has been out of the management scene since his sacking in 2021 after Die Mannschaft’s exit from the UEFA European Championships.
Low has not managed a football club in almost 20 years, with his last stint coming with Karlsruher SC back in 2004. But the work he did with Germany, with the crowning achievement being the World Cup triumph in 2014, warrants a place on this list as a possible short-term/caretaker fix.
Frank Lampard
Certainly a left-field choice, but Frank Lampard is someone who has experienced the pressure that comes with managing a top club with Chelsea and even performed the caretaker duty with the Blues earlier this year.
The chances of this happening are nigh on impossible, but if it came down to it, the former Chelsea captain could be an outside option for an interim role until Barça find their desired candidate at the end of the season.
Barcelona must faith in Xavi
Apart from the names mentioned above, there are a few more managers like Graham Potter and Julen Lopetegui who are currently out of duty and could be brought in immediately.
However, none of the options inspire confidence and there are no guarantees that things would improve if they are handed over the reins.
As such, Barcelona would be better off backing Xavi and keeping their faith in the club legend. Despite the recent run of form, it must not be forgotten that he led the team to the league title only a few months ago. Judgement must be reserved until the end of the season at the very least.
