REVEALED: Barcelona set to confirm Xavi on Thursday

Barcelona are expected to announce Xavi Hernandez as new coach on Thursday but the club’s supporters might have to wait until after the international break to see him in the dugout.

Xavi takes charge of what should be his last game as coach of Al Saad on Wednesday. He would then arrive in Barcelona on Thursday but the club could leave interim coach Sergi Barjuan in charge for the match away at Celta Vigo on Saturday, giving Xavi two weeks to prepare what would be his first game at home to Espanyol on November 18.

There are doubts over the timing of putting a club legend in charge of the first team and Hristo Stoichkov has added his weight to the argument that it’s the wrong time for the young coach.

The former Barcelona striker told TUDN USA: ‘Four months ago Jan [Laporta] said Xavi was still very green, that he was not prepared and that he needed to have more experience. Then he wakes up and says that Xavi is the best man for the club. Is this another legend who will end up having to leave out the back door?’

The argument for Xavi’s relative inexperience have been countered by claims that Pep Guardiola was in a similar situation when he took over in 2009 having only had one year’s experience in the club’s B team.

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Guardiola said last week that he felt Xavi was more experienced than him at the same moment of their careers.

But Stoichkov said: ‘Pep Guardiola had Johan Cruyff, Txiki Begiristain and José [Ramón] Alexanko . He could talk to those every day.

‘Who is Xavi going to sit down with? Who is going to give him positive advice. Because there will be plenty of negativity from day one. As a Barcelona fan I hope he succeeds.’

Speculation has already started as to who Xavi will want the club to bring in although president Laporta has already made it clear there will be very little the club can do in January.