Next Barcelona manager odds: Rafa Marquez favourite to replace Xavi

Rafa Marquez is once more the favourite with football betting sites to be next Barcelona manager as the search for Xavi's successor heats up ahead of him stepping down at the end of the season. 

Xavi announced his intention to leave the Catalan club following a difficult run of results. 

After leading Barcelona to the LaLiga title in his first full season at Camp Nou, Xavi’s side have endured a decline in form. They've all but surrendered their crown to Real Madrid after suffering a 3-2 defeat in the second Clasico of the season.

The Catalan club also bowed out of the Champions League at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain in a humbling 4-1 defeat in the second leg of their quarter-final clash.

Thrown in a Copa del Rey quarter-final defeat to Athletic Bilbao and Barca will end the season without a trophy, sending out their manager on a fairly limp note.

The race to replace Xavi has been far from clear on gambling sites.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was the early frontrunner, but his odds have drifted out to 8/1 and The Independent believes that the 41-year-old is happy to remain at the Emirates Stadium.

Since then, former Barca defender Marquez and ex-Germany and Bayern Munich boss Hansi Flick have alternated as the favourite.

Next Barcelona manager odds 

• Rafael Marquez – 3/1 (BetVictor)
• Hansi Flick – 9/2 (Unibet)
• Mikel Arteta - 8/1 (bet365)
• Roberto De Zerbi – 9/1 (BetUK)
• Ruben Amorim - 10/1 (William Hill)
• Thiago Motta – 14/1 (BetMGM)
• Michel – 20/1 (bet365)
• Thomas Tuchel - 20/1 (Unibet)
• Unai Emery - 20/1 (BetVictor)
• Julian Nagelsmann – 25/1 (bet365)
• Luis Enrique – 25/1 (bet365)
• Jose Mourinho – 33/1 (BetVictor)
• Jurgen Klopp – 33/1 (BetVictor) 

Marquez still a contender

Barcelona have had plenty of success from promoting from within the club, and another ex-player could fit the bill. Marquez was the favourite after Arteta distanced himself from the role before being surpassed by Flick. 

However, the Mexican is once again the leading contender for the role at 3/1 with BetVictor, although he is as low as even with other gambling sites.

Marquez was a four-time LaLiga and two-time Champions League winner for Barca during his seven years as a player in Catalonia.  

The Mexican became manager of Barcelona Atletic in 2022 and steered his side to a fourth-place finish in Primera Federacion Group 2 in his first year in charge. However, they were beaten by Real Madrid Castilla in the play-off semi-finals.  

Barcelona B are trending towards the play-off places once more under Marquez in his second season, and have moved within striking distance of the Primera Federacion Group 2 leaders.  

Marquez would join Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique in the recent history of Barcelona Atletic coaches to make the move to the senior side. 

Flick remains a top contender

Flick's odds have been consistent among the top contenders to be the next Barcelona manager. His price is as long as 9/2, while some betting sites have him as low as 7/2. 

The German does have big club experience with Bayern and seems a solid fit to replace Xavi in the summer.

Flick led the German giants to back-to-back Bundesliga crowns and the Champions League in 2020.  He also won the Club World Cup, Uefa Super Cup, DFB-Pokal and German Super Cup in his time in Munich.

He made the bold choice to leave Bayern after only two seasons to return to the German national side, where he served as an assistant to Joachim Low for eight years, including their World Cup triumph in 2010.

But, his time as manager of Germany was underwhelming, to say the least. Die Mannschaft crashed out of the 2022 World Cup in the group stage, and after results failed to improve, Flick became the first Germany manger to be sacked since the role was established.

That could give Barcelona’s hierarchy pause for thought before hiring the 59-year-old.

Arteta's odds drift for Barca role

Arsenal fans will be pleased to see that Arteta's odds to replace Xavi at Camp Nou on betting apps have drifted. The 41-year-old has revived the Gunners’ fortunes in the Premier League, re-establishing the club as title contenders.  

Although Arsenal fell short in their bid to win the top-flight crown last season, their form throughout the campaign highlighted their continued growth under the Spaniard’s tenure. 

Arteta came through Barcelona’s academy and played for Barcelona B for two seasons before leaving for Paris Saint-Germain. His connection to the Catalan club provides a natural link between the two parties. 

However, the early speculation linking Arteta with a move to Barca has cooled and he is seemingly intent on remaining with the Gunners.

Arteta can be still be backed at 8/1 with bet365 to leave the Emirates Stadium for Barcelona, but it does seem unlikely he would trade a role where he has job security and the support of the Arsenal fanbase for a volatile position in Spain. 

Do Barca gamble on De Zerbi?

Roberto De Zerbi has carved out a fine reputation in the Premier League with Brighton. The Seagulls have played an attractive brand of football that has earned the praise of fans and pundits alike. 

Success has been hit and miss, but Brighton are on course for a top-half finish in the Premier League in a season that has been difficult amid an exodus of key players and injuries.

A trophy has once again evaded De Zerbi and his team this season. The Seagulls impressed with a run to the Europa League where the club qualified for the last 16 by topping their group, only to suffer a heavy aggregate defeat at the hands of Roma. 

Brighton also bowed out of the EFL Cup in the third round and lost to Wolves in the fifth round of the FA Cup.

De Zerbi doesn't have a history of winning trophies, so it would be a gamble for Barca to take on the Italian. However, he does have impressive traits that many clubs look for in a progressive manager.

Odds of 9/1 with BetUK are available for the Catalan club to take the plunge for De Zerbi's services this summer.

Klopp and Mourinho long shots

Jurgen Klopp has made himself one of the top candidates on the market for any position in the game after announcing he will leave Liverpool at the end of the season. 

The German cited a “lack of energy” as his reason for leaving Merseyside, so moving to fever-pitch Barcelona would be a surprise.  

Klopp has won everything he can in the game with Liverpool, ending the club’s Premier League title drought in the 2019/20 season as well as the Champions League crown in 2019. 

Although the Reds spurned the chance to send Klopp away by winning the quadruple and then the treble, Liverpool can still end the campaign by winning the Premier League alongside their EFL Cup triumph.

The 56-year-old has odds of 33/1 with Unibet to move to Camp Nou. Although he has the credentials and the charisma to become a success in Spain, it might be just too soon.

The name of Jose Mourinho has been continually linked to the Barcelona job given his history with the club. The Portuguese spent time as a coach at Camp Nou under both Sir Bobby Robson and Louis van Gaal before beginning his managerial career.  

Mourinho was sacked by Roma due to a poor run of results in Serie A after two-a-half-years at the Stadio Olimpico. 

His odds have drifted out to 33/1 after starting at 12/1, but there could be value in taking Mourinho to make a sentimental return, albeit he once claimed he could never manage Barcelona. 

Other contenders 

Another former Barcelona player that could be of interest to the club is Thiago Motta. Odds of 14/1 are available to back the former Italy international to succeed Xavi. He has fared extremely well in his role with Bologna, leading a challenge for a Champions League place in Serie A.

His ties and performance with an unheralded side in Italy's top flight could work in his favour.

Michel Sanchez has performed brilliantly in LaLiga with Girona this season, allowing his underdog side to compete for the crown at one stage of the season. 

The club are on course to qualify for the Champions League, which would be a major achievement in their second full season back in the Spanish top flight.

Girona have outperformed Barca for the majority of the term and their hierarchy could move for the 48-year-old given his success at their Catalonia rivals. It could be a divisive decision for fans of both clubs, but Michel's price of 20/1 does have value.

Sporting CP boss Ruben Amorim has odds as low as 10/1 to move to Barca, although he seems to be destined for the Premier League. He is reportedly Liverpool's top target to replace Klopp, although West Ham are also said to be interested in the Portuguese. 

Amorim has won one Primeira Liga title with Sporting and could be closing in on a second crown this term as well as the Taca de Portugal. He has the credentials that Barca fans would appreciate.

Thomas Tuchel will leave Bayern at the end of the season after a frustrating year in Bavaria. Bayern surrendered their Bundesliga crown for the first time in 11 seasons to Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen and also exited the DFB-Pokal in the early rounds.

However, Tuchel has continued his strong history in the Champions League by steering the German outfit into the semi-finals where they will face Real Madrid. The German could yet win his second European title, having guided Chelsea to the crown in 2021.

Tuchel has odds of 20/1 swap Allianz Arena for Camp Nou.