Xavi decides against taking Barcelona job immediately - source

Ernesto Valverde will take Barcelona training on Monday after Xavi told the club he would not be accepting the job of coach immediately, AFP Sport has learned.

Xavi, who is currently in charge of Qatari team Al-Sadd, held talks with Barca's sporting director Eric Abidal and chief executive Oscar Grau on Friday and Saturday.

But a source has told AFP Sport that Grau and Abidal were returning to Barcelona on Sunday, after Xavi said he would not be giving his agreement straight away.

Xavi could yet resume negotiations in the coming days or, more likely, in the summer once the season has finished.

In the meantime, Valverde remains in charge and the plan is that he will take training as usual on Monday morning. Yet it remains to be seen how he responds, with the current Barca coach likely to have been unimpressed by the club's indiscreet pursuit of Xavi.

Abidal and Grau met Xavi on Friday in Qatar and then again on Saturday night following Al-Sadd's Qatar Cup semi-final win over Al-Rayyan. The suggestion on Saturday had been that Xavi would make a decision as early as Sunday but the club's iconic former midfielder wants more time.

- Tough decision -
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"If he accepts, he is put under the wing of a weak leadership, with elections due in 2021. But if he says no, he may be criticised for refusing to return home."
"I cannot inform you too much, just that I met Abidal and he is my friend."
But Xavi added: "I cannot hide that it's my dream to coach Barcelona, I said it many times."