Porto coach Sergio Conceicao on Barcelona's radar

Sergio Conceicao is fed up with Porto's lack of resources and is thinking of leaving the club at the end of the season. This is what 'Correio da Manha' published this Thursday morning, in which 'Mundo Deportivo' took advantage of the leak to underline that the Portuguese coach is on Barcelona's list as a possible replacement for Xavi Hernandez. The Terrasa-born coach has already announced that he will leave his position in Barcelona at the end of the season.

His counterpart has been with the Portuguese side since 2017, having coached them in nearly 350 games. In that time, he has won three league titles, three Super Cups, three cups and a League Cup. His most successful years, in terms of silverware, were 2020, when he won the Portuguese league-Cup-Super Cup treble, and 2022, when he did the same. He has achieved all this despite constant disagreements with the board, who have never satisfied him in the transfer market.

In fact, there are two Spanish players who have been affected by this situation. Nico Gonzalez, formerly of Valencia, and Ivan Jaime, who trained at Malaga, joined his squad some time ago and have hardly had any opportunities. The Portuguese press have asked the coach several times about this, and he made it clear to journalists that, if they have not yet entered into the dynamic, it is because they are signings for the future. For him, one issue is that of immediate reinforcements and another is related to the long term.

Statements such as these suggest a relationship that is not entirely bad with Porto's board, but help to understand why he is seriously considering leaving the project - although, according to 'Correio da Manha', he is not considering it: he has made up his mind. What those who want Sergio Conceicao to stay might cling to is that there are presidential elections in April this year. If the candidate who wins convinces him, all these links to Barcelona will be broken.

 

January 31, 2024