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Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman appears to be living on borrowed time at Camp Nou. The tactician's future has been the subject of speculation over the last few weeks, owing to the Blaugarana's unconvincing performances in recent games.
The Blaugrana suffered a 3-0 humiliation at the hands of Bayern Munich in their Champions League opener last week. Ronald Koeman's men put up a lacklustre display, failing to put a shot on target all match for the first time in their Champions League history.
Since then, the tactician has been under fire, with many calling for his sacking. According to reports, Barcelona president Joan Laporta is considering relieving the Dutchman from his duties if there's no drastic improvement in the coming weeks.
While the saga drags on, here's a look at five managerial options Barcelona could turn to, should they part ways with Ronald Koeman:
#5 Jordi Cruyff
Jordi Cruyff, son of Barcelona's legendary footballer and manager Johan Cruyff, is one of the few candidates who could pick up the coaching job at Camp Nou. The Dutchman has an in-depth knowledge of the Blaugrana's style, having spent time with his father as he took the team to glory in the 90s.
The 47-year-old already has some coaching experience in his bag, having served as manager at the likes of Maccabi Tel Aviv, Shenzen FC and the Ecuadorian national team. Jordi Cruyff is currently Barcelona's sporting advisor, but it won't be a poor idea to appoint him as manager on a short term basis.
#4 Henrik Larsson
Another candidate Barcelona could consider giving the nod to is Henrik Larsson. The Swede is a popular figure within the club, having thrived there as a player between 2004 and 2006 and notably helping them win the Champions League.
Larsson is currently the third coach in the first team, which suggests he has first-hand experience of what is wrong with the squad. It is also believed he has a decent relationship with the players. That could be of great help when it comes to bringing the best out of them.
The Swede is no stranger to Barcelona's philosophy as well. He has spent several years at the club already, and should be quite familiar with the Blaugrana's style of play. Like Jordi Cruyff, it would make sense to hand the Swede a short-term contract too.
#3 Erik Ten Hag
Erik Ten Hag will likely be a perfect match for Barcelona. The Dutchman demonstrates everything the Blaugrana want in their manager - youth, style, tactical brilliance and a huge winning mentality.
The 51-year-old has done a great job at Ajax over the last few years. His team of largely young players took Europe by storm during the 2018-19 campaign. They defeated Real Madrid and Juventus to make it to the semi-finals of the Champions League, where they lost to Tottenham Hotspur.
Given that Ten Hag is still in control of affairs at Ajax, Barcelona could need to wait till the end of the season before making an approach for the Dutchman. It would be a huge capture if they can manage to replace Ronald Koeman with the 51-year-old.
#2 Roberto Martinez
Roberto Martinez is another option who could take over from Ronald Koeman at Barcelona, if the Dutchman gets fired anytime soon. There are already rumours suggesting the Spaniard is an option, and is being seriously considered by the club's hierarchy.
Martinez already has a lot of experience in his bag, having played with the likes of Zaragoza, Wigan, Swansea, Motherwell and Chester City. He employs an attacking approach to the game, which would suit Barcelona's system.
However, a major stumbling block is the fact that the Spaniard is currently the head coach of Belgium. With the FIFA World Cup coming up next year, it doesn't look like he could be willing to leave the Red Devils anytime soon.
#1 Xavi Hernandez
The likeliest option on the list, Xavi Hernandez, has been linked with coaching Barcelona since last year. The former Blaugrana captain is fans' top choice to take over the reins from Koeman, and Xavi apparently has the board's backing as well.
The Spaniard is currently doing a great job with Qatari club Al Sadd. He led his team to both the league and domestic cup last season, playing some brilliant and attractive football that caught the eye of many.
Xavi has a deep knowledge of Barcelona's tiki-taka system, having spent almost his entire playing career at the Camp Nou. His Al Sadd team has been seen playing a replica of the Blaugrana's style, which is a decent indication of what to expect from Xavi at Barcelona.
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