At the moment, Xavi Hernández remains the coach of Barça. But only until June 30. After having a conversation with the Barça president, Joan Laporta, at the Estadi Olímpic de Montjuïc, the player from Terrassa continues on the bench but announced that he will leave at the end of the season. After the new debacle, the leader decided to meet with the coach after first holding a summit with the sports vice president, Rafa Yuste, and with the sports director, Deco and other members of the sports commission. An hour and a half after finishing the match, Xavi appeared and proclaimed: “I want to announce that I will not continue beyond June 30. The club needs a change of direction.”
The coach revealed that “he had made the decision a few days ago.” Xavi said that he had taken that step forward “for the good of the club, as a culé, and above all because the players need a change of direction and they do not deserve this situation.” On several occasions The one from Terrassa recalled that on Friday he had already said that, after two and a half years in the position, he had less time left than he had.
Xavi, who landed on the bench in November 2021, hopes that this decision will serve “to free the team and to also free me. This should serve to relax everyone. I think it is the best for the club.”
According to the technician it is not a question of wear. “I have energy and I am going to give even more energy between now and the end of the season. It is an issue that a change of direction is needed.” However, he did admit to being tired. “It is very cruel to be Barça coach. You feel like they don’t value you. In the end it costs you your health and that affects the club. Wear occurs. It doesn’t make sense anymore. It is impossible for there to be a Ferguson of Barça”
After losing the Super Cup, being left out of the Cup and practically throwing in the towel in the League, the objectives now are to stay among the top four in the championship and go as far as possible in the Champions League, with the tie against Napoli in round of 16 on the horizon.
Xavi has a contract until June 30, 2025, with the option of one more season, but he will leave in June after agreeing with the president. “I think it’s a common sense decision. We have to change the dynamic. Both in Bilbao and against Villarreal we should have won and we lost. I think I’m acting like a culé. That’s what I told the president, he was kind of excited.” If he doesn’t win any titles, Xavi will leave with a League and a Super Cup in his bag. “I will not change my decision even if we win the Champions League.”
The coach has not yet spoken to the players. He will do it this Sunday.
