Joan Laporta, the president of Barcelona, has said that he “speaks often” with Pep Guardiola, the manager of Manchester City, amid ongoing rumours about his potential return to the team.
This summer, Xavi, the current head coach of the Catalan team, will be replaced. He has said that the team “needs a change of dynamic” and has resigned from his position.
According to a recent story, Laporta is getting ready to ‘pull out all the stops’ in an attempt to persuade Guardiola—who is under contract with Manchester City until the summer of 2025—to return to Barcelona.
Before departing in 2012, Guardiola led the Catalan squad to three La Liga wins, two Copa del Rey crowns, and two Champions League medals during his tenure.
After making a comeback to football in 2013, the 53-year-old spent three years with Bayern Munich before moving to Manchester. During his tenure at the Etihad Stadium, he won five Premier League championships, two FA Cups, four League Cups, and the Champions League.
Although Laporta has acknowledged that he believes Guardiola will stay at Manchester City for at least one more season, the president of Barcelona has hinted at a potential return to Camp Nou.
“He honours contracts, and he has one with Manchester City (2025). I talk to him often, and I am aware of the club’s opinions about him,” he said in a RAC1 interview.
After last weekend’s 5-3 home defeat to Villarreal, the club’s iconic former midfielder revealed his intentions, and Laporta stated he was “surprised” to learn of Xavi’s decision to step down.
“After the Villarreal game, I learned the news. It was unexpected since we had not made any plans for it. “Xavi is a sincere individual. Initially, I assumed it was due to the loss, but I observed that he deliberated and concluded that it was the optimal course of action to liberate both the team and him,” he said.
“In my opinion, this was the ideal move for the team. When he says something like that to you, he means it. I retorted that we would fight for his continuance if necessary. I informed him that it’s only because of you that I can accept this formula.
“Due to your professionalism and Barcelonaism,. You led the team through challenging circumstances. He won the Spanish Super Cup and a very tough league the previous year.
“I hope Xavi plays all the way through the season. It is up to him whether he keeps going to the very end. No matter what, I’m not firing him. He is not deserving of it. He is deserving of our faith.
“We are not giving up on the league; we are playing Napoli in the Champions League, but Xavi is a highly driven player. Regarding Xavi and the players’ passion and drive, I have no reservations.
“Xavi is sincere, and he would tell you if the recipe doesn’t work. We only agreed to this formula because Xavi was involved. We would have fired him otherwise.”
Barcelona defeated Osasuna 1-0 on Wednesday night in La Liga, moving them up to fourth place in the standings before their trip to Alaves on Saturday.
