Gerard Pique names two Premier League managers as the ‘obvious’ choices to replace Xavi at Barcelona after the Catalan icon announced his decision to leave the club at the end of the season

Former Barcelona star Gerard Pique has determined who should succeed Xavi as coach of the Catalan club next season.

After hanging up his boots in 2019, Xavi took the reins of Qatari club Al Sadd before returning to Camp Nou when he was named Barca boss in 2021.

The 44-year-old won his first title as the club’s manager last season, winning La Liga by ten points ahead of second-placed Real Madrid, despite the club’s financial uncertainty.

This season, however, has proven less successful for the Blaugrana, and although his team remains in contention in Europe, Xavi announced in January that he would leave the club at the end of the season.

Speaking on who he believes is the best candidate to replace his former teammate in the hot seat, Pique named two current Premier League managers as potential favorites.

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“To manage Barca you have to be a specific type of coach and understand the way Barca play, so the options are much less,” Pique said. The temperature.

“The obvious ones are (Pep) Guardiola, because he had his past here, and he is the best coach at the moment, and (Mikel) Arteta. He would be a good one too. He understands Barcelona and played for them. Barça in the past.

After Xavi announced his upcoming departure, Spanish media claimed that Arteta had told his team at the Emirates that he could take the job.

However, the Arsenal manager dismissed the claims ahead of the club’s clash against Nottingham Forest in January.

“This is totally fake news. I don’t know where this comes from and it’s completely false. I’m really upset about it.

‘I couldn’t believe it. It has no source. He has nothing and I think we have to be very careful when you talk about personal things.