DÃCRYPTAGE – Barcelona, which faces Naples in the round of 16 of the Champions League on Wednesday, will no longer be coached by Xavi in six months. The legendary ex-midfielder will leave a bittersweet taste in Catalonia.
The sweater is black, gloomy as is the atmosphere in the press room on Montjuïc hill, where the Olympic stadium, temple of the 1992 Olympics, is hosting FC Barcelona this season due to work at Camp Nou. Xavi has just suffered one defeat too many, against Villarreal on January 27 (3-5). He announces that he will no longer coach Barça, his Barça at the end of the season. “The players do not deserve this situation, I think we need to change course and I am primarily responsibleâ€, he declares in a sober tone. An admission of failure tinged with lucidity, while his contract runs until June 2025.
His departure was unthinkable in Catalonia six months earlier. Barça had just won La Liga for the first time since 2019, an abnormally long drought. “Overall there was satisfaction, the hope of repeating the successes the following season and going further in the Champions Leagueâ€points us to German Bona, journalist for the Catalan daily Sport. “Win La Liga ahead of Real Madrid and the Spanish Super Cup in the context of the economic and institutional crisis of Barça, this gives much more value.adds his colleague Angel Pérez of the newspaper Sports worldmême si “the style radicals were a little more critical”not satisfied by small 1-0 victories.
Victories and titles in a Barça in crisis
Xavi arrived in November 2021 at the bedside of a Barça traumatized by the departure of Lionel Messi to PSG the previous summer. “His arrival raised a lot of expectations”, recognizes German Bona. 767 matches, 25 trophies: Xavi, trained at the club of which he was an emblematic captain, was not to be presented. From his first press conference, he recalled what the identity of the club is. “A 1-0 result in the 90th minute is not good here.†“You have to play well and win.” “Here, a draw or a defeat is a funeral.” Despite himself, Xavi aroused comparisons with Johan Cruyff and Pep Guardiola. He has always supported their school since his reconversion as coach in 2019 (at Al-Sadd in Qatar). Like him, they were very great players before being brilliant coaches at Barça.
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The beginnings were promising. 9th in Liga in November, Barça finished runner-up to Real. From Xavi’s mandate, we will remember this and the two trophies which put Barça back on the map. The former midfielder also had the courage to leave his declining former teammates, Gerard Piqué and Jordi Alba, on the bench. “I felt like I was failing as a friend, but I had to put the team first.”whispered , like the attackers Lamine Yamal (16 years old) and Marc Guiu (18 years old).
“Less solid defensive line, injuries and bad luck”
But then why didn’t Barça continue its upward trajectory, and why did Xavi throw in the towel so quickly? The first point is “difficult to explain, even for us who follow the daily life of Barça”, laments German Bona. Many observers believe that Xavi himself was unhappy with the proposed game. Ambitious, faithful to his principles, the young coach got his feet wet. Barça did not attack any better and above all it lost its defensive base.
He only conceded 20 goals in 38 La Liga matches last season, compared to 34 goals conceded after just 25 days this season. Injuries have also reduced options. Gavi suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in November. Pedri missed 15 matches, Frenkie de Jong 11, Raphinha 11. “Less solid defensive line, injuries and bad luck”resume Angel Pérez.
Europe, “an important task”
“Robert Lewandowski had phases where he didn’t score many goalsâ€adds German Bona, who sees the relocation of Barça to Montjuïc as one of the keys to the disappointing season. “The pressure on opponents is not the sameâ€, estimates the journalist. Barça scored 2.52 points per La Liga match at home last season, compared to 2.15 since moving. It was also at the Olympic stadium that one of the turning points of his season took place, against Real Madrid on October 28. After an impeccable first period (1-0), and while it had won all its home matches (7) so far, Barça was devastated by a double © by Jude Bellingham. Defeat 1-2. “The disappointment was great and the team lost confidence from that moment onâ€acquiesce German Bona.
Robert Lewandowski, here against Porto in the Champions League, has scored 17 goals in 33 matches for Barça this season. DAISUKE Nakashima / Aflo / Panoramic
A collapse in Spain which further exposes the great failure of the Xavi era: the European results. “It’s an important task”, underlines German Bona. The elimination in the quarter-finals of the Europa League by Frankfurt in 2022 was frustrating. The 3rd place in the group stage of the Champions League last season, then the exit in the round of 16 of the Europa League by Manchester United in the process, were very badly received ©cues. Last fall’s C1 campaign, with qualification at the end but a final defeat at the modest Royal Antwerp (3-2), did not ease the spirits.
Our work is not valued enough. […] It seems like we are gambling with our lives every moment.
Xavi on the pressure of training at Barcelona, 4 days after announcing his future departure.
Barça is not looking good, Barça is not winning and Xavi can no longer stand the criticism. After a narrow victory in Las Palmas on January 4, he was asked if the title of Spanish champion would have been lost in the event of a misstep. “You always make negative assumptions, Xavi got annoyed. I don’t see that with other coaches. We are the champions, respect for the reigning champions.”
During his first press conference after announcing his departure, he explained his choice. “Our work is not valued enough”he repeated many times. “This generates wear and tear, he continued. I spoke with Pep (Guardiola) and he told me that. I saw Luis Enrique suffer. We have to think. We have a problem with the requirements of this position. It seems like we are gambling with our lives every moment.” Any advice for his successor? “Enjoy and have fun, but it’s impossible”he cursed.
The Champions League as a last stand
Training Barça, a mission too difficult for Xavi. At least today. “Xavi is a person dear to the hearts of Barça fans, the doors will always be open to him.”, assure German Bona. L’ère Xavi “will be remembered with a bad taste in my mouth for the way it ended, but not as a disappointmentâ€says Angel Pérez, for whom La Liga won despite the crisis at all levels at Barça “will be more appreciated with time”.
Perhaps his legacy among players will be too. “Xavi explains the tactics to me”praised Gavi. “Forget the bullshit from the press, we are all with Xavi. He’s a legend, he’s great with us.”swore João Cancelo in December. “We have just won La Liga and the Super Cup. We started from nothing. We, the players, are responsible.”defended Ronald Araujo a few minutes before Xavi announced his departure to the press.
3rd in Liga, eight points behind Real Madrid, Barça has no illusions. He will return his crown at the end of the season. He will not win the Copa del Rey either (eliminated by Athletic Club in the quarters) or the Spanish Super Cup (beaten by Real in the final, 4-1). And, barring a miracle, he will not lift the Champions League. Still, she can bring some relief to her heart this Wednesday (8:45 p.m.) against Napoli, even sicker, who dismissed their coach Walter Mazzarri 48 hours before the match. Xavi wanted to stay. “It’s a formula that I accept because it’s Xavi, President Joan Laporta explained on the club’s official channel. He is honest, dignified, he loves Barça and he is a legend.” Unlike some of his predecessors, Xavi will not have been a prophet in his country.
