BARCELONA (AP) — First he wanted to leave. Then he decided to stay. Finally Barcelona had enough and decided to fire him.
A month after Xavi Hernández announced that he would remain as Barcelona coach despite the disappointing season, the Spanish club informed the former midfielder that they do not want him back.
In the most recent and surely last part of the winding season with Xavi at the helm, Barça announced on Friday that the club would change coaches next season.
The team made the decision public after the meeting held by the president, Joan Laporta, Xavi and other senior officials of the club earlier in the day at the sports city.
According to Barça, Laporta “has informed Xavi Hernández that he will not continue as coach of the first team in the 2024-2025 season.”
His departure comes a month after the 44-year-old former footballer reversed his decision to leave the reins of the team in the summer, something he had announced in January. In April he assured that he had changed his mind after his players showed him that they believed in the team’s potential and the improvement in his performance.
But, apparently, Laporta would not have liked some recent statements by the coach during a press conference in which he stated that Barça’s poor financial situation made it almost impossible for it to compete against Real Madrid and the other big European clubs.
The former midfielder won the League with Barcelona last season, but this year he enters the final matchday eight points behind Madrid, which was already crowned champion almost two weeks ago.
As a player, Xavi left Barcelona in 2015 after helping the club win 25 titles, including four Champions Leagues and eight Spanish League titles in 17 seasons, forming an incredible trio with Lionel Messi and Andrés Iniesta.
He was also key during Spain’s run of titles when they won the 2010 World Cup and the 2008 and 2012 European Championships.
Laporta called on Xavi to return to the club and leave what was his only previous coaching role in Qatar in November 2021 to lead the club’s rebuilding project after it lost Messi amid the club’s financial crisis.
The following summer the club sold future television earnings and other club assets that Laporta described as financial “levellers” to sign Robert Lewandowski and other players. Xavi managed to give them the first league title since Messi’s departure and the future looked bright.
But this season Barcelona lost all three ‘Clásicos’ to Madrid and were beaten twice by emerging Catalan rival Girona. They also lost in the quarterfinals of the Champions League and Copa del Rey.
Whoever takes the reins will have a difficult task leading a team with talented youngsters like Lamine Yamal and Gavi Páez, but with financial limitations.
After the team almost went bankrupt, the team continues to struggle financially so its maximum salary has been reduced in recent seasons. It can only spend 204 million euros ($221 million) on players and training staff, including salaries and transfers, compared to Madrid’s 727 million euros ($788 million).
Xavi’s last game on the bench of the Barça club will be on Sunday, when the team visits Sevilla on the last day of the League.
Sevilla coach Quique Sánchez Flores said on Friday he will give Xavi a “big hug” when the teams meet.
“I shouldn’t say it, but how badly Barça treats its legends,” said Sánchez Flores.
Source: AP
2024-05-24 17:20:35
#Xavi #Hernández #fired #coach #Barcelona
