Barcelona draw up 3-man shortlist featuring former manager to replace Xavi next season: Reports

Barcelona have reportedly drawn up a three-man shortlist to replace the outgoing Xavi.

The legendary Barca head coach is leaving at the end of the season, announcing the decision to do so following a disappointing 5-3 La Liga home defeat to Villarreal.

Earlier this year, the Blaugrana lost 4-1 to Real Madrid in the Supercopa Espana final, while their Copa del Rey campaign was cut short with a 4-2 extra time defeat at Athletic Bilbao.

Xavi's decision to leave has prompted the club to scurry for suitable options. As per Gerard Romero (via Barca Universal), the Blaugrana have shortlisted former boss Luis Enrique, former Bayern Munich and Germany tactician Hansi Flick and Brighton & Hove Albion manager Roberto De Zerbi.

Among the trio, Flick could be the most realistic option, as Enrique and De Zerbi are contracted with PSG and Brighton respectively. Enrique appears to be the fan-favourite, having won the 2014-15 treble, but he might not be available this summer, having only joined the Parisians in 2023.

De Zerbi, meanwhile, is seen as a darkhorse option. While his work at Brighton is appreciated by the Camp Nou hierarchy, his lack of experience in managing a top club could go against him.

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How have Barcelona fared since Xavi announced his decision to leave?

Barcelona boss Xavie Hernandez

Xav's decision to leave at the end of the season seems to have galvanised the squad, as they have gone six games unbeaten across competitions since then.

Since the Villarreal defeat in January, Xavi's side have had four wins and two draws. One of those stalemates was a 1-1 draw at Napoli in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 first leg, while the other was a 3-3 La Liga home draw with Granada.

The Blaugrana have had wins over Osasuna (1-0), Alaves (3-1), Celta Vigo (2-1) and Getafe (4-0), all in the league. However, their hopes of a La Liga title defence appear bleak, as they find themselves eight points behind table-toppers Los Blancos (65) after 26 games.

Barcelona are next in action at Athletic Bilbao in the league on March 3 as they seek to close the gap on their arch-rivals.