“It’s the most difficult club in the world”, said Xavi Hernández to the point of exhaustion about Barcelona’s demands. “You cannot compare the pressure in England with that of Spain. And the feeling at Barça is incomparable to that of any other club”, Pep Guardiola seconded him yesterday. They know what they are talking about. The two grew up in the academy and have been players, captains and then coaches of the team of their lives. Both have resigned to continue on the bench. Guardiola, in 2012, and he has now been at City for eight years. Xavi said enough on Saturday after losing 3-5. He will leave on June 30. “I had the feeling from the beginning of the season.”
Sometimes memes serve to explain the reality of this grueling job. Guardiola lost his hair and started shaving. Luis Enrique grew gray hair. Xavi still wears glitter after more than two years in office, but he has lost the illusion. He is no longer compensated by sacrifices, especially family ones.
“They make you feel worthless on a daily basis. Talking to Pep he warned me, Valverde told me and with Luis Enrique I experienced it and saw him suffer. This is not quality of life. Here you seem to be gambling with your life at every moment. That’s why I say it’s cruel: you don’t enjoy it”, he defined this permanent scrutiny. The technician from Terrassa wanted to warn the next tenant that he too will suffer this constant erosion of morale by the environment. “It will happen to him and that is the problem. My advice? Let him be himself and not let himself be influenced. My advice is to enjoy it, but that’s impossible here.”
Xavi assured that he has always felt the support of Laporta and the club, that the players trust him and that the fans love him. On the other hand, he was seen as a bit bitter with the media, who in his opinion do not value him. “You kill me when I say we are under construction, if I say we don’t have the Barça of 2010 there are also criticisms. I feel like whatever I do and whatever I say is never enough. Neither winning the League with 14 points nor the Super Cup with a historic match, nor with a bunch of good young people, nor being from home. That’s why I left”, he criticized.
He was understanding, however, with Rafa Márquez, the subsidiary’s coach, who applied. “He’s a friend. Maybe he expressed himself badly. He is getting ready. It is legal and natural”.
Four days later, Xavi returns to Montjuïc to recover the postponed match against Osasuna for the Super Cup. At that time, twenty days ago, Barça was aiming for four titles and no one saw Xavi’s farewell coming. “The four months that are left must be the best”, harangued the staff.
The egarenc has had a bad time but leaves the door open to return. “I don’t rule it out at all. I’m a club man and Barça will have me for whatever they need. Now I think he doesn’t need me. Barcelona fans need a new illusion next season”, he insisted. Xavi’s has sold out.
