After a difficult season at the helm of Barcelona, Xavi Hernandez decided to step away from football for a year of rest, following two and a half intense years on the bench of the club where he was shaped as both a player and a coach. As this year comes to an end, his name has started circulating once again among Europe’s top clubs.
According to reports, Roma and Manchester United contacted Xavi at the beginning of the season, seeing him as a potential candidate to succeed Daniele De Rossi and Erik ten Hag, respectively. However, both clubs were informed that Xavi had decided to stay away from football for at least a year, following his stressful departure from Barcelona.
Now, in theory, Xavi is once again available to return to management. With Xabi Alonso expected to take over at Real Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen appears to have begun their search for a new head coach. Among the names linked with the German club are former United boss Erik ten Hag and Real Sociedad manager Imanol Alguacil, who is expected to leave the Basque club at the end of the season.
According to Kicker (as cited by Diario AS), Leverkusen has shown interest in Xavi, valuing his playing style, international experience, and strong command of English. Contact has already been made with the Catalan coach, and so far, he has not declined the possibility.
A new adventure for Xavi away from Barcelona would undoubtedly be intriguing. Apart from his experience with Al-Sadd in Qatar, Xavi has spent his entire career—both as a player and a coach—at Barcelona. A move to a new club would take him out of the intense spotlight of the Catalan media and place him in an environment where he doesn’t have the same level of familiarity and connections as at Barça. Despite the challenges in his second full season, Xavi managed to lead Barcelona to the La Liga title and also won the Spanish Super Cup.
