Barcelona is collapsing, and Xavi no longer thinks he is the right man for the job to keep their boat afloat.
The Barca manager recently announced that he is leaving the club at the end of the season as they struggle to find consistency in La Liga, Copa Del Rey, and the Champions League.
Barcelona, the defending Liga champions, are currently in the fourth spot of the table, 11 points away from the top spot occupied by Girona.
They lost three of their five matches, including heartbreaking and extra-time defeats to Villarreal and Athletic Bilbao in Copa Del Rey.
The search for a new manager in Barcelona started immediately, and high-profile names have been linked to the club instantly.
To some, coaching one of the top clubs in the world is an honor. To others, it is a pressure-filled post.
For Mikel Arteta, being linked to his former club is upsetting.
The Arsenal boss, who is still busy getting Arsenal back on top of the Premier League table, did not find it amusing that his name was attached to his former club while the season was still ongoing.
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He played three years of his youth career with Barcelona from 1997 to 1999 and joined the Barcelona B team when he started his senior career.
Mikel Arteta debunks rumors linking him to Barcelona
"It's totally untrue and I'm really upset about it," he told the press when asked about the rumor that he plans to leave the Gunners to join Barcelona.
"I'm in the right place with the right people. I'm immersed in a beautiful journey with this football club, the staff and the players and there is still a lot to do. I love what I do, I love every minute and I get a lot of joy. It drives you when you feel respected, loved, when you see a clear direction and ambition. That is where we are right now."
Arteta is furious about the rumors, obviously plucked out of thin air and did not have a credible source.
Arteta's credentials as Barcelona coach
Arsenal's revival under Arteta has been successful so far. They were almost on the brink of obscurity, but hiring the 41-year-old coach in 2019 flipped the story.
He won the FA Cup in his first season and finished 8th in the PL table.
They came close to winning the Premier League last season until Manchester City, for whom he worked as an assistant to Pep Guardiola for years, swept in on the last few weeks.
Mikel Arteta-Barcelona a good fit?
Right now, football fans should take Arteta for his words. However, things can change fast in this beautiful game. What was said today might be different tomorrow.
The Barcelona front office should also ask themselves if they are ready to make massive changes in the squad.
He and Xavi have a similar coaching style. The latter likes playing 4-3-3 against opponents with two strikers and adjusts to 4-2-3-1 to overload the opponents' midfield.
Arteta has the same tactic, although he also adopts 3-2-2-3, which he learned from Guardiola.
Retaining this style depends on the type of player that Barca will have when he comes in.
Right now, what's established is that he has a good relationship with Barcelona's top officials- Mateu Alemany and Jordi Cruyff. The fit will no longer be questioned if the two give him free rein in signing his preferred players.
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