SpainCoach Xavi has reversed his decision to quit at the end of the season, to continue leading Barca until his contract expires in 2025.
Barca Vice President Rafa Yuste confirmed the information to the Barcelona media waiting outside President Joan Laporta’s house – where the discussions took place.
“We just had a meeting with Xavi and Laporta. Here, Xavi showed commitment,” Yuste said. “Xavi loves Barca, and is a coach who can lead our project and the team’s young players. I believe he will do a good job. I am happy that Xavi stays at Barca, because I always protect continuity of the project he started two and a half years ago”.
According to Yuste, Barca has not opened negotiations with any other coach, and Sports Director Deco also has absolute confidence in Xavi.
Coach Xavi in Barca’s 2-0 win over Osasuna in the semi-finals of the Spanish Super Cup, at Al-Awwal Park, Riyadh city on January 11, 2024. Image: AFP
Barca appointed Xavi from November 2021, after firing Ronald Koeman. In total, the Spanish coach led 137 matches, lost 28, drew 24, won 85, achieved a win rate of 62.04% and won two titles – La Liga and the Spanish Super Cup last season. In September 2023, he extended it until June 2025 with a one-year activation option.
The 44-year-old coach was under a lot of pressure when Barca lost two titles in the first two weeks of 2024. The Catalan club lost 1-4 to Real in the Spanish Super Cup final in Saudi Arabia on January 14 and then lost 2-4 to Bilbao in extra time in the quarterfinals of the King’s Cup in midweek. After losing 3-5 to Villarreal at home in round 22 of La Liga on January 27, he announced that he would leave the team at the end of the season.
Xavi has repeatedly refused to talk about the future and affirmed that he will not change his decision. The Spanish coach even said that his announcement of leaving the team at the end of the season helped the players calm down and become more motivated.
After Xavi announced his departure from the team, Barca went undefeated in 12 matches in all competitions, climbed to second place in La Liga, shortened the gap with Real to eight points and won 3-2 at PSG in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals. They broke this streak when they lost 1-4 to PSG in the quarterfinals and were eliminated from the Champions League. The Catalan club continued to lose 2-3 to Real at the weekend and the gap in La Liga was widened to 11 points by their great rival.
The latest results do not affect Barca’s opinion on Xavi. Both Laporta, Yuste and Sports Director Deco expressed their wish for Xavi to change his decision about the future and continue to lead the team.
According to ESPNin addition to winning La Liga last season and placing faith in young players like Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsí, the difficult financial situation also played an important role in Barca wanting to retain Xavi.
Hong Duy
