Barcelona great Rivaldo says Jose Mourinho would be an ideal appointment.

Mourinho is available after his dismissal by Roma earlier this season. Xavi will leave Barca at the end of the season.

"There are many fans who would not approve of coaches or players who have represented the rival (Real Madrid), but Mourinho has already been with Barcelona and he is a great person," Rivaldo told Mundo Deportivo.

"His intensity and his controversies with his own supporters would be a concern from day one, but he is a winner.

"Considering that he doesn't have a club and the situation that is in Barcelona, it is easier for him to reach out to the team now, and I think he would have been a great recruitment, even if some supporters don't want to hear his name.

"He would undoubtedly do a great job, he knows the team, the Spanish league, the Champions League and he has a lot of experience."