It's a well trodden path in football. The managerial merry-go-round often sees a coach sacked, and a desire to bring back a feel-good atmosphere at a club. This may see them turn to a former player, but this leads to mixed results historically.
Xavi is the latest to step into the breach, having taken the reins at Barcelona. His playing days there were trophy-laden, and he has turned his meticulous attention to detail to the dugout as he looks to bring glory back to the Nou Camp.
With Ronald Koeman, another Catalonia old boy, axed, the pressure is on Xavi to form a winning project. He may look to previous examples of legends returning to their old stomping ground - with Pep Guardiola and Zinedine Zidane leading the way.
Here, Sportsmail takes a look at what happens when club greats step into coaching for their former sides, as well as the major successes and failures.
Xavi has returned to Barcelona as manager and will be expected to bring the glory days back
During his playing days at the Nou Camp, he won countless cups as a silky central midfielder
PEP GUARDIOLA (BARCELONA)
When Frank Rijkaard left Barcelona in 2008, Pep Guardiola was chosen as the man to replace him. His appointment, unsurprisingly, was met with a wave of optimism.
His predecessor was responsible for transforming the club from a base for frustration and underachievement to a powerhouse over five years, and Guardiola stepped up knowing full well that he had big shoes to fill.
During his time with the B team the previous campaign, he became renowned for his tactical prowess and ability to mould players into potential superstars. Having also won six league titles and a European Cup as a player, Guardiola was a popular man.
Pep Guardiola won the Champions League in 1992 and added six league titles to his collection
Just a year on from his hiring, he led Barcelona to the Champions League trophy in 2009. Their journey across all competitions saw them play stunning passing football, christened 'tiki-taka', and they became one of the greatest ever club sides.
The LaLiga title and the Copa del Rey also followed, helping them to their first major domestic treble, and Guardiola was not done there. Two more league triumphs followed, as well as a second Champions League victory, again over United.
He may have only been able to win the Spanish Cup during his final season, but Guardiola left for a brief sabbatical with his head held high. Indeed, he was responsible for his team's breath-taking fluid nature, and the silverware as a result.
Having taken over as boss, Guardiola brought further success to the club and remains a legend
FRANK LAMPARD (CHELSEA)
The cruel nature of football was laid bare for all to see when Frank Lampard was sacked by Chelsea. He led his old club to a fourth-placed finish, and the FA Cup final, in his first season but was axed after a dismal run of form.
In total, his spell at the helm lasted just 18 months. He departed with the side ninth in the Premier League, and in the midst of a run of just one win in five league matches. During his second season, they were briefly top of the table.
He did not sign any players for his first year in charge as a result of Chelsea's transfer embargo. However, the next summer, Lampard splashed out over £200million on seven big signings, including Kai Havertz and Timo Werner.
Frank Lampard is Chelsea's all-time record goal scorer and clinched 11 major titles at the club
As a player, the now 43-year-old remains Chelsea's all-time record goal scorer, having netted 211 times between 2001 and 2014. He also made 648 appearances in total, winning 11 major trophies - including four Premier League titles.
He began his managerial career at Derby. His one season in charge, the club reached the Championship play-off final but lost out to Aston Villa. Soon after, Chelsea came calling - and he performed admirably before falling victim to poor results.
Now reportedly on the shortlist for the Norwich vacancy, Lampard is widely expected to return to football in the very near future. His work at Stamford Bridge has placed him in good stead, and laid the foundations for their future success.
After just one season in management, Chelsea hired Lampard as coach for an 18-month spell
OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER (MANCHESTER UNITED)
The 'baby-faced assassin' is now visibly worn down by the rigours and pressures of the Manchester United job. That glint in his eye still remains, but there can be no denying that the wolves are at the door and he looks truly out of his depth.
It is a far cry from his playing days at Old Trafford. He joined in 1996 for a fee of just £1.5million, having made a name for himself as a formidable poacher at Clausenengen and Molde. With United, he quickly picked up where he left off.
As a result, he was handed his affectionate nickname. And he lived up to his 'assassin' moniker, with 126 goals arriving in his 366 appearances. Infamously, he scored a last-gasp winner in the 1999 Champions League final.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer hit the winner for Manchester United in the 1999 Champions League final
Despite this, it came as a surprise to see him handed the job on a caretaker basis after Jose Mourinho's sacking in December 2018. Desperate to rediscover the 'glory days', the board looked to a United man through and through to help out.
The impact was remarkable. The club became a winning machine, picking up valuable points in the top-flight and beating Paris Saint-Germain in yet more late drama to progress against the odds in the Champions League.
He was then appointed permanently, but what has followed has been a rollercoaster ride. Finishes in third and second were undoubtedly positives, but the failure to win a trophy has led to frustration. Now, the tension is mounting even further.
Now in the dugout, Solskjaer is under increasing pressure in the midst of a horror run of results
ANDREA PIRLO (JUVENTUS)
The typically silky, and metronomic, figure of Andrea Pirlo in Juventus' midfield was a crucial reason behind their success between 2011 and 2015. During that time, they won four consecutive Serie A titles, as well as one Coppa Italia trophy.
Just two years after he left for New York City FC in the twilight of his playing career, his old club returned and hired him as their new manager. He was the man selected to succeed Maurizio Sarri, despite his stark lack of coaching experience.
His work on his coaching badges was diligent and intelligent. He described his philosophy as being heavily centred around the use of the ball and possession, as well as an exploitation of the wide areas. However, it did not work out like this.
Andrea Pirlo was a crucial reason behind Juventus' success in 2011 and 2015 before leaving
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