Barcelona negotiates with Al-Sadd for coach Xavi Hernández
Advertisement
Read this article for free:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Digital Subscription
One year of digital access for only $205*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
- Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
- Access News Break, our award-winning app
- Play interactive puzzles
*First annual payment billed as $205.00 + GST for one year. This annual subscription will automatically renew at $233.00 + GST every 52 weeks (10% off the regular annual price of $259.35). Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Add Free Press access to your Brandon Sun subscription for only an additional
$1 for the first 4 weeks*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
- Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
- Access News Break, our award-winning app
- Play interactive puzzles
*Your next Brandon Sun subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $17.95 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $24.95 plus GST every four weeks.
Read unlimited articles for free today:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 04/11/2021 (1788 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Barcelona is in negotiations with Qatari club Al-Sadd for the release of Xavi Hernandez so the former midfield great can return to Camp Nou as coach.
“The two clubs are in conversations and we don’t know how it will end,” Xavi told Catalan public television station TV3 on Wednesday. “It is very exciting. I don’t know what will happen.”
The former Spain midfielder said coaching Barcelona would be “an exciting step” in his career.
“I am a very positive person. I believe that common sense will prevail and there will be an agreement,” Xavi said. “Both clubs know my position, and I hope this can be resolved soon.
“We are all very eager. It would be spectacular.”
Al-Sadd appears not as eager to let him go.
In a statement, Xavi’s current employer said it “welcomed the visit of the administrative delegation” from Barcelona. But Al-Sadd CEO Turki Al-Ali added: “The club’s position is clear from the beginning — we are committed to keeping our coach Xavi with us and we cannot have him leave at this sensitive time of the season.”
Al-Sadd leads the Qatari league by three points after nine games.
Barcelona has played two games under caretaker coach Sergi Barjuan, who took over following the firing of Ronald Koeman with the team struggling both in the Spanish league and the Champions League.
Barcelona’s next game is Saturday at Celta Vigo.
The 41-year-old Xavi left Barcelona in 2015 after helping the club win 25 titles in 17 seasons, including four European Cups. He was also key to Spain winning the 2010 World Cup and European Championships in 2008 and 2012.
Since then, he has been at Al-Sadd, first as a player and then as its coach.
___
More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Related Articles
Canada on verge of clinching World Cup berth
Advertisement Advertise With Us
Advertisement Advertise With Us