Guardiola endorses Xavi for Barcelona job
Pep Guardiola says he has no doubts that Xavi is ready to take over the reins at Barcelona, should the Catalan giant offer the former midfielder the job.
Managing Al Sadd in the Qatar Stars League, Xavi has been heavily linked with a return to the Camp Nou after the departure of Ronald Koeman.
Widely considered one of the greatest midfielders of all time, the FIFA World Cup and two-time European championship winner made 767 appearances for Barca between 1998 and 2015; then a club record that was eventually surpassed by Lionel Messi before he left for Paris Saint-Germain.
Guardiola played for three years alongside Xavi, who was the heartbeat of the side that delivered three LaLiga titles and two UEFA Champions Leagues during the former's trophy-laden tenure between 2008 and 2012.
The Manchester City boss is confident the 41-year-old has the credentials to succeed at their old club, while he also empathised with another former team-mate of his in the outgoing Koeman.
Speaking ahead of City's Premier League showdown with Crystal Palace on Sunday (AEDT), he said: "I don't know what's going to happen.
"In case [Xavi is appointed Barcelona head coach], I don't have any doubts he's ready to do the job. He knows the game, he has passion and I'm pretty sure he has more experience now than I had when I took over.
"Ronald and myself know exactly that we depend [on] and we live [for] and we expect and we are there for the results. Nobody can survive without results – no Koeman, no Pep – we are judged for the results."
Barcelona's first game since Koeman's departure is against Alaves at Camp Nou on Sunday (AEDT), and Barcelona B coach Sergi Barjuan will take the reins.
