16 minutes of press conference. One of the shortest that Xavi Hernández can remember since he came to the bench. And of course this season. After ratifying his continuity, the coach limited himself to focusing on finishing this season achieving a minimum objective: confirming the place to be in the Champions League next year and, above all, for Barcelona to finish second to participate next year. It comes in the Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia. Starting with the match played this Monday in Montjuïc against Rubén ‘Pipo’ Baraja’s Valencia. “We have to give more for not having done our homework. “We have the goal of finishing second, which would allow us to play in the next Spanish Super Cup,” he noted.
That’s what it takes to get the three points against València. Baraja is doing an excellent and commendable job. València defends direct football with great transitions and competes very well,” Xavi diagnosed. Then there will be Girona, Real Sociedad, the already relegated Almería and the visit to Sánchez Pizjuán against Sevilla to close the season. Six games in total.
And sports planning? It can wait. But a more or less clear diagnosis already appears in the technician’s head. One more year, he trusts the president’s word when he tells him that the club will reach the 1-1 standard in order to reinforce the squad. “Everything is agreed upon with the sports commission. Hopefully we can reach 1-1. There are days left. Last year we were conditioned by not being able to do the planned planning but we hope to be able to have it this year,” he confessed.
To reinforce the squad, Barça seeks to improve the club’s financial situation through income or player sales. “The diagnosis is pretty much done. But what is done now will also be taken into account, logically. We will decide based on performance. regardless of whether they are young, veterans, from the house or not,” Xavi said that he did not close the doors to Vitor Roque being able to leave on loan. “We will sit down to agree on what is best for each player. It is not easy to come from Brazil and decide. It needs time, adaptation,” he explained of the Brazilian, who signed for six years, until the 2030-2031 season with a termination clause of 500 million euros.
Barça paid 30 million fixed and committed another 31 million in variable concepts. He was able to register in January thanks to Gavi’s absence due to a long-term injury and it is no secret that a loan from him would give Barça some margin to strengthen. Quite the opposite is what Xavi wants for Sergi Roberto, tempted with Girona and with a contract that expires on June 30. “I want him to renew and it depends on him. He knows my position. He can help us a lot,” Xavi stressed.
LaLiga chaired by Javier Tebas is closely monitoring the club’s economic movements to certify whether they will be able to sign in the summer under the 1-1 rule, that is, being able to invest the same amount that you achieve with sales. There is optimism. Although Montjuïc has not generated the expected income, the club believes that it will be able to meet the budget for this season, which expected an income of 859 million euros and profits of 11 million.
However, there is an economic operation pending to be resolved. After the rudeness of the German fund Libero, which did not pay the 40 million in the summer for 10% of Barça Vision, the entity must find those 40 million before June 30. Furthermore, both this summer and in 2025, the club has to obtain two additional payments of 60 million to reach the 120 signed for the total of Barça Vision.
Although club sources acknowledge that new allies are being sought in Dubai and the United States, no one takes anything for granted after the disappointment with Libero. At the same time, LaLiga considers that the club will end the year healthy and without the need to sell more assets that have currently generated 808 million euros between income and revaluations. The salary bill has also been reduced: from 670 million to 500 million with a cost cut in the club structure included. The good relationship that the club has recovered with Javier Tebas and the ongoing renegotiation of the contract with Nike that has covered Barça since 1998 and that could go from 64 to 100 million annually, according to club sources, also helps.
In Xavi’s staff there will be changes in the area of ??physical preparation. Julio Tous will enter as a strength specialist, and physiotherapist Raúl Martínez will also gain prominence. “Nothing can be said about Tous. Raúl Martínez has worked since the first day I was coach. He is a man of utmost trust. He is always there for everything we need,” said Xavi, who did not want to clarify whether these changes respond to a club decision or his own.
For the match against València, Xavi will include Pedri who has trained all week on the sidelines but who already trained with his teammates this Sunday. The long-term injured Gavi and Balde will not be there. Neither did Frenkie de Jong, who injured his right ankle at the Bernabéu. “It is essential for me. He has had bad luck. Three injuries to the same ankle that mark the season. And it is a shame because he has performed at a good level,” lamented the coach.
Xavi finished with two more messages. In the first he outlined that everyone wants to “finish the course with good feelings” and that he has “all the energy in the world to continue.” In the second, he congratulated Barcelona Femenino, who qualified for their fourth consecutive Champions League final and fifth in their history. “We are proud. They showed that they are the best in the world. It was not easy to come back, I hope they can win the Champions League.” The final will be played on May 25 in Bilbao.
