UEFA Champions League-winner and Bayern Munich’s current head coach Thomas Tuchel’s entourage has offered the German to FC Barcelona to replace Xavi Hernandez, reported Mundo Deportivo on Wednesday.
Xavi is set to quit at the end of the season and the search for a perfect replacement is going on. The club wants to hire a high-profile individual with enough experience.
There has been a lot of uncertainty about the Spaniard’s replacement with names like Jurgen Klopp, Roberto de Zerbi and others coming into the news but nothing has been finalised yet.
Tuchel became the latest name to appear in Xavi’s replacement list. Things aren’t going too well for the German at Bayern as his side suffered a 3-0 loss to Bayer Leverkusen in a crucial Bundesliga match and are now five points behind them.
Tuchel’s entourage is aware of the increasing pressure and tension at the Bavarian club and they also know that there is another high-profile job available once the season ends.
Barcelona’s president Joan Laporta is a big fan of Tuchel’s coaching style and he contacted the German to replace Ronald Koeman in 2021 but he was committed to Chelsea back then.
Earlier, Xavi announced he would step down as Barcelona’s coach on June 30, 2024, after the club’s thumping 5-3 loss to Villarreal in La Liga.
Xavi was under hot waters ever since the Blaugrana suffered a humiliating 4-1 loss against arch-rivals Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup in January.
The team was then knocked out of Copa del Rey (CDR) after losing to Athletic Bilbao 4-2 in the same month and the loss against the Yellow Submarines turned out to be the final straw for the former midfielder.
"From June 30, I will not continue as Barca coach. As a Barca fan, I believe the club needs a change of dynamic," Xavi said in a post-match press conference. "I've been a man of the club. I've prioritised it above even myself. I've given everything I have."