Speaking at a press conference after the 3-5 defeat against Villarreal in La Liga's 22nd round on the morning of January 28th, coach Xavi said: " Things have gone too far and the situation is irreversible. It's time for a change for the team. As a Cule (Barca fan), I believe this is the right time to leave. I have informed the board that I will be leaving the club on June 30th ."
" I don't want to become a problem for the club. The best thing to do right now is to leave. Two years ago, I was the solution for Barca, but now things are different ," the former Spanish midfielder added.
Xavi left Barca.
Coach Xavi's decision surprised fans because he had previously received assurances about his future from President Joan Laporta and Sporting Director Deco. Furthermore, the 44-year-old coach had just extended his contract until summer 2025.
The disappointing run of results this season, culminating in a home defeat against Villarreal in La Liga's 22nd round, became the final straw that led Xavi to decide to leave the team he loved.
Xavi took over as Barcelona's head coach in November 2021, replacing Ronald Koeman. The following season, he led the Camp Nou team to La Liga and the German Super Cup. However, under Xavi, Barca struggled in cup competitions. They were eliminated in the group stage for two consecutive seasons (2021-2022 and 2022-2023), lost in the Europa League to Frankfurt and Manchester United, and most recently suffered defeats against Real Madrid in the Super Cup and Bilbao in the Copa del Rey.
Barca's chances of defending their title are almost gone, as they are currently in third place with 44 points after 21 matches, 10 points behind league leaders Real Madrid.
" I love Barca very much, but I didn't come here to just stroll around. If I don't achieve something, I will leave ," Xavi concluded the press conference.
Minh Tu
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