Xavi Hernandez: The fortune they offered him to lead a Qatari team

The day after being proclaimed champion of the QSL after defeating Umm Salal 0-3, the leaders of Al Sadd met with Xavi Hernández to offer him the renewal. The coach, who had won the championship triumphantly, with an overwhelming superiority and four days in advance, ended his contract on June 30, 2021, and the Qatari club wanted to hurry to guarantee the continuity of the Spanish.

The offer was substantial and considerable: two more years of contract, until June 2023, economic improvement for both him and his staff and maintenance of the Barça clause, which would allow the coach to leave the club in the event that the Blaugrana entity claimed, without the need for any financial compensation. Xavi, who thanked the Al Sadd leaders for the trust placed in his work, asked for time to reflect and respond to this offer. However, not many would hesitate with a figure greater than 12 million euros per year, placed on the table.

As it transpired, the coach feels very comfortable in Doha and his intention would be to stay one more year in Qatar, especially considering the challenge that will lie ahead next season: the conquest of the Asian Champions League, a title that He has been resisting Al Sadd for eleven years. Thus, everything indicates that Xavi will accept Al Sadd's offer, but reducing the two years to just one.

And it is that nobody escapes that the coach has both eyes on FC Barcelona, and that his greatest wish is to sit one day on the Blaugrana bench. With Víctor Font, his landing at the club would have occurred at the beginning of May, since before he had the objective of qualifying Al Sadd for the eighth of the Champions League: the league is played in a concentrated way between 14 to 30 April, with six games to play.

Is he shaping up to lead Barcelona?

Now, with the victory of Joan Laporta, a stage of uncertainty opens to venture his return to the club. In principle, everything indicates that Ronald Koeman could continue one more season. If so, Xavi would fulfill the year he plans to sign with the Qatari club in the coming weeks. In this way, Xavi could close a seven-year triumphant cycle at Al Sadd, four as a player and three as a coach, with an undeniable record of ten titles so far, four as captain and six as coach.