Posted by Despite Barcelona officials arriving in Doha for negotiations about their head coach, Qatari club Al Sadd insist Xavi will not be permitted to leave at “this delicate moment of the season.”
Xavi, a former Barcelona midfielder, is the favorite to succeed Ronald Koeman as the Catalan club’s new manager. Last week, Koeman, 58, was fired.
“The club’s position is clear from the beginning – we are committed to keeping Xavi with us,” said Al Sadd chief executive Turki Al-Ali.
“We cannot have him leave at this sensitive time of the season.”
According to Reuters, Barcelona executives Rafa Yuste and Mateu Alemany traveled to Doha on Tuesday to try to negotiate Xavi’s release, and met with his agents on Wednesday.
Barcelona is in ninth place in La Liga after winning four of their first 11 games, trailing Real Sociedad by nine points.
Source: BBC Sport