If on April 24 The Barcelona leader is planning his dismissal after the coach’s realistic statements last Wednesday and despite winning in Almería. Currently, the idea that is going through Laporta’s head is to dismiss him but so far no one has said anything to the coach, who would be surprised by the new situation generated.
Neither Laporta nor Deco traveled to Almería yesterday. The club alleged professional and personal reasons but there are those who perceive within the club that it is the result of the disconnection with the coach. The president does plan to travel this Saturday to Zaragoza where the women’s team plays the final of the Queen’s Cup this Saturday. The Barça men’s team plays its last home game of the season this Sunday in Montjuïc against Rayo. Before, this Saturday, Xavi must give the previous press conference. If there is no resolution prior to the game, the player from Terrassa will not be able to say goodbye to the public.
The president is disappointed with the coach’s statements at the press conference prior to the match against Almería where he used a more realistic speech. The coach warned of the club’s difficult economic situation to psyche up Barcelona fans after the blank year. “The situation is very difficult. The current Barça has nothing to do with the one from 25 years ago,” he said. “That doesn’t mean we don’t want titles,” he added. His words did not sit well with Laporta because he considers that they are different from those of the exciting speech on sushi day, specifically on April 24.
The president opened the cava and even the cigar box. And they had dinner on a night that was announced as definitive. The day began with the board meeting and with many dissenting voices saying that a change on the bench was necessary. However, after talking in the sports city with sports director Deco and Alejandro Echevarría, the president’s right-hand man, Xavi grabbed the car and headed to Laporta’s home. There he offered his explanations and convinced Laporta with an emotional message of a few minutes in which he explained the reasons why he was the most suitable to continue coaching the team.
Xavi said that, after announcing his delayed farewell in January, he had felt the support of the players, also of some managers such as vice president Rafa Yuste. And he was convinced that he could get the most out of his team to win titles. Three weeks later, emotions have surfaced again in Can Barça. The defeat in Girona did not sit well with the president or those closest to him. “This cannot be,” Laporta said in Montilivi.
Second place was getting complicated. And those closest to the president who had already expressed that they were not clear about Xavi’s continuity were gaining strength again. If Barça did not finish second, anything was possible. Now, despite beating Real Sociedad and Almería, the atmosphere remains strained, especially after Xavi’s words. “I said what I think. That the situation is not the best and we are working together to be in the best possible situation to strengthen ourselves. But we will fight for the titles with enthusiasm and ambition, that does not change our reality,” the coach insisted after winning in Almería. “I am calm and excited,” he insisted. There are nine days left until the course ends and it is not known how it will end with the famous “today” constantly hovering over the club. This disoriented Barça is also unpredictable.
