The Mexican Rafael Márquez received a vote of confidence from Barcelona’s Sports Director, the Portuguese Deco, in an interview for ‘La Vanguardia’.
Márquez is one of the main candidates to replace Xavi Hernández as coach of the Barça team at the end of this season, on June 30.
“At the moment, we have not spoken to any coach. We are assimilating the departure of the coach. The decision will be the club. Decisions are not made by one person. Whoever comes has to follow a line of work, we will hardly be a team that does not want to play well, that does not want to have the ball. Starting from that idea, each coach has his own characteristics, but whoever comes has to have ambition and hunger to do great things. And knowing where it comes from,” Deco said in the interview.
And he clarified: “I don’t follow (Thiago) Motta’s work much because he is not in an Italian team that I usually watch. To (Rafael) Márquez yes, because he is here. He is a young coach who is growing in the face of difficulties. Being here will make him a better coach.”
The former player assures that the news of The one that still counts to win a trophy this season is simply a requirement of the Spanish.
“I did not expect. I am on a day-to-day basis with him and we have been planning arrivals like Vitor Roque’s for weeks. Or deciding if with Balde’s injury we had access to signing in winter… There is always speculation, but I never thought about that. We were talking about next season, that’s why he was renewed,” Deco begins.
The former Catalan team player spoke about the league title that Xavi won last year, as well as the “demand” for championships that existed when Hernández arrived.
“I want to clarify that this team was never asked to win, what was asked was to compete because when you compete well the chances of winning increase. If you ask me today, I believe that LaLiga is not finished. Saturday’s victory gives us some hope. The next games before Naples will be important, for us and for our rivals. Xavi’s stage is not over yet. I am happy when we compete like we did on Saturday, with that maturity. Xavi and the president know it. I have always told them that if we are lucky enough to have a full squad we can go far. If we go with everything we are an important team.”
“He has already explained a lot. My feeling is that the League that was won last year was not valued too much and should have been done. The fans celebrated it, but the Press and at a general level downplayed its importance. And I understand the demand, but I also understand Xavi’s frustration at not feeling valued. He came at an important moment in which he must have put a lot of courage into it. He stood up for the club. From there, each person knows to what extent things affect him and whether he is willing to endure or not,” he stated about Hernández.
The interview continued when Deco was questioned about the Spaniard’s successor for the following season and the options that the Blaugranas had. Likewise, he was asked about Pep Guardiola’s Barça, which Deco referred to as “a big lie.” ” because he believes that the current Manchester City coach was simply intelligent in knowing how to move the pieces he had at that time.
“At the moment, we have not spoken to any coach. We are assimilating the departure of the coach. The decision will be up to the club. Decisions are not made by one person. Whoever comes has to follow a line of work, we will hardly be a team that does not want to play well, that does not want to have the ball,” said the sports director.
“There is talk of a great revolution that is a big lie. Ronaldinho and I left, but there were equipment I have ever seen in my life. And he was smart, he knew not to waste time on other things.”
Keep reading:
Spanish press attacks Rafa Márquez and accuses him of being a “vulture” after his statements
Rafa Márquez on directing FC Barcelona: “You can’t say no to an opportunity like this”
Xavi Hernández will leave FC Barcelona at the end of the season