Barcelona Parts Ways with Xavi Hernandez Following a Tumultuous Season: 2024 Updates
Barcelona has decided to part ways with coach Xavi Hernandez in a dramatic turn of events.
This announcement comes just a month after Xavi, a former Barcelona legend, had reversed his decision to step down.
In the most recent—and perhaps last—development to the rocky season under Xavi’s leadership, Barcelona declared on Friday that they would be changing their coaching staff.
He wanted out first. Then he decided to remain. At last, Barcelona made the decision to split up, saying enough was enough.
The Spanish team informed the former midfield virtuoso that it did not want him back, one month after Xavi Hernández declared he would stay on as Barcelona coach in spite of a dismal year.
In the most recent—and perhaps last—development to the turbulent season under Xavi’s leadership, Barcelona declared on Friday that they would be changing their coaching staff for the following campaign.
Following a meeting at the team’s training facility between Xavi, club president Joan Laporta, and a number of other senior officials, the Spanish club made the news.
“Xavi Hernández has been informed by Laporta that he will not be continuing as first team coach in the 2024–25 season,” the club declared.
After leading Barcelona to the Spanish league championship the previous year, Xavi’s squad has performed so poorly this year that it will finish second to Real Madrid in the standings and without a title.
Xavi left the team this summer, not wanting to play out the final year of his contract, after changing his mind about leaving in January. The 44-year-old Xavi stated in April that he had reconsidered after his players demonstrated to him their belief in the team’s potential and their better play.
Barcelona Sports Director Deco stated that the team was not searching for a new coach during that break when it appeared that Xavi was the one who wanted out. Furthermore, a visibly upset Laporta held a press conference alongside his coach after Xavi announced that he was abandoning his plans to stand down, telling the Barcelona supporters that they should be “proud” to have Xavi leading the club.
However, it was claimed that Laporta was not happy with Xavi’s recent remarks at a press conference, where he stated that Barcelona’s dire financial circumstances would make it practically difficult for the team to fight against Real Madrid and the other elite clubs in Europe.
Following the emergence of speculations in the local media suggesting Laporta was thinking about benching the former midfield player, Xavi expressed his desire to be a coach and his belief that he could still lead his childhood team to championships.
Xavi stated, “I have the support of the president and Deco, our sports director,” as late as last weekend.
Laporta’s assistance seems to have been sporadic at best.
The media in Germany and Spain conjectured that Hansi Flick, a former coach of Bayern Munich, may be hired by Barcelona to take Xavi’s place.
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After helping Barcelona win 25 championships as a player, including four Champions Leagues and eight Spanish leagues, Xavi left the team in 2015. His contribution to Spain’s winning run in the 2010 World Cup and the 2008 and 2012 European Championships was also crucial.
In November 2021, Laporta brought Xavi back from his lone previous coaching position in Qatar to oversee his rebuilding effort of a team that had recently lost Messi due to financial difficulties.
In order to sign Robert Lewandowski and other players, the team gave off potential broadcast profits and other club assets the next summer—a move Laporta labeled financial “levers.” With the club’s first titles after Messi’s exit, Xavi’s future appeared promising.
However, Barcelona was thrashed twice by Girona, an upstart Catalan rival, and lost all three of their “clasico” meetings against Madrid this season. Barcelona also lost both of their league matches 4-2. Additionally, it was defeated in the Copa del Rey and Champions League quarterfinals.
The difficult challenge of leading a group with bright young players like Lamine Yamal and Gavi Paez but very little funding awaits Xavi’s successor.
Following a brief period of financial instability under Laporta’s predecessor, Barcelona is currently facing financial difficulties and has significantly lowered its salary ceiling in recent years. Compared to Madrid’s 727 million euros ($788 million), it can only spend about 204 million euros ($221 million) on players and coaching staff, including salaries and transfer payments.
Barcelona has attempted to offload Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong and is probably going to strive to reduce payroll. Thus, the possibility that Lewandowski or goalie Marc-Andre ter Stegen be up for grabs is not out of the question.
The away match against Sevilla on Sunday, the last day of the league season, will be Xavi’s final match as manager. When their teams play, Sevilla coach Quique Sanchez Flores promised to give Xavi “a big hug.”
Sanchez Flores remarked, “I shouldn’t say this, but look how poorly Barcelona treats its club legends.”
