Nobody ever really doubted that Xavi would become coach of Barcelona at some point. The only question was when, and that appears to have been resolved with his Qatari club Al-Sadd announcing his departure and posting images of his farewell on Friday, while the matter of compensation is sorted between the parties to complete his Barcelona homecoming. He returns to the Camp Nou a messiah in its time of need. Symbolically, he is the perfect figure for the job. He is the hero the narrative demands. But football doesn’t always conform to the demands of narrative. After all, Xavi’s predecessor Ronald Koeman, who scored the winner in the final when Barcelona first won the European Cup, was another coach who always seemed destined for the Camp Nou.
Xavi Needs More Than Destiny to Restore Barcelona to Glory
