Deco calls Rafael Marquez "an emergency solution" for Barcelona

Xavi recently announced that he would be standing down as head coach at the end of the 2023-24 campaign, and the club are now looking for a replacement for the legendary former midfielder.

Marquez, who is in charge of Barcelona B, recently expressed an interest in stepping into the first-team managerial role this summer.

Meanwhile, Barcelona president Joan Laporta has confirmed that the club's former centre-back is in the discussion when it comes to Xavi's replacement.

However, Deco has played down the chances of the 44-year-old becoming the new manager, revealing that he is only "an emergency solution".

"Rafa Marquez is an emergency solution," he told Esport3.

"Who will choose the next Barca coach? We haven't started talking. We are still assimilating what happened with Xavi. It will be consensual. The president and I spoke."

Deco also opened up on Xavi's decision and the context surrounding it, adding: "Has the media been unfair to Xavi? I think what was done was not valued too much. From winning La Liga, the euphoria turned into too much demand in many moments and too severe criticism in some moments.

"The team has clearly shown signs of playing spectacular games, and sometimes we have not been able to.

"There is an analysis behind it: injuries, we have not been able to maintain a midfield at the same time, Busi's (Sergio Busquets) departure is not just a football issue.

"All these things mean that the team has not had brilliant moments in many games. "But I think we have taken a step forward on many levels, and Xavi's confidence is because of that, because we believe in what he is doing.

"The most important thing about noise is what you believe. I believe and we believe in Xavi's work. We have had difficult moments during the season. If you see, we have almost never had a starting XI for two months in a row; injuries to important players at important moments.

"We are achieving an objective that was not achieved last season, which is to go through the Champions League group stage and be in the round of 16. We have taken steps, but I understand that sometimes frustration in some games affects us."

Since Xavi announced his plans to leave, Barcelona have beaten Osasuna and Alaves in Spain's top flight, and they currently sit third in the table, eight points behind the leaders Real Madrid.

The reigning Spanish champions will be aiming to make it three straight league victories when they host struggling Granada on Sunday night.