It was one of Xavi Hernández’s most anticipated press conferences after the previous one, the one before the Almería match, opened the thunderstorm by awakening discomfort in the board due to his crude and real speech before the city’s microphones. sporty. And it was the shortest since he sat on the bench. The Barça coach answered just 12 questions. Barcelona fans want to know if anything has changed since it was announced on April 25 that he would be the Blaugrana coach next season. And Xavi was firm and forceful. “I understand the commotion and the noise but nothing has changed,” he said.
The coach played the card that no one from the sports leadership had communicated anything to him about alleged anger, much less a possible dismissal, and he hid behind the importance of getting second place for the project. “I can’t give you anything because we haven’t talked. These are stories that no one has told me,” he highlighted.
Although two days have passed, President Laporta and Xavi have not seen each other. The coach announced that they have spoken and that there will be a meeting in the future. “We will sit down. We have been in permanent contact. In principle everything is as it was three weeks ago, when we sat here to announce my continuity. If there are any changes, we will tell you. But at the moment that is not the case.”
Xavi insisted several times that the project is stable, that he feels supported and that he has desire and enthusiasm. “I am interested in having the confidence of the president, which is intact, of Deco and the sports vice president. They tell me to be calm. And we continue with the same ambition and enthusiasm.”
If anyone thought that the other day Xavi was lowering expectations, the coach was confident that he could move the project forward. “I have 0 doubts that things can go well with me as coach. I have a base of people from home and from La Masia who have consolidated this year, and I understand that next year we can compete better. This is a project that has already won and this year we have not received details. “I am where I have always wanted to be,” he clarified.
Not at all, Xavi wanted to give the image of a downcast person. “When I come by car I am happy because I come to the best club in the world, that’s how I feel. I’m happy. Criticism makes me improve. That’s how I’ve taken it in my career. This happens at Barça,” he confessed.
Without any official communication, Xavi and his coaching staff continued their routine the days before the game. Even the Egarense was not one of the first to jump into the training camp, which started a little later because they were discussing the strengths and weaknesses of Rayo, this Sunday’s rival. “I have said the same things to the players as I did to you, exactly the same words, because I don’t have to deceive anyone. So you can feel lucky,” he told the media.
This Sunday against Rayo could be his last game as Barça coach in a home game. But Xavi doesn’t have that in mind nor do I see it as a special day. “I want to win. That would be special because it would give us second place. And may the fans have a good time, those who come and those from home. They have always supported me. The message is gratitude,” he distinguished.
