Barcelona are poised to sack coach Xavi Hernandez just weeks after he made a U-turn and decided to stay at the club, Spanish media reported on Friday.
Catalan radio station RAC-1 said president Joan Laporta had decided to sack Xavi, with daily newspaper Sport confirming the news, while AS said Barcelona were already deciding who would replace the coach.
In January, Xavi said he would leave at the end of the season but, after a run of strong form, in April he and president Joan Laporta agreed the coach would stay for the next campaign, with his contract expiring in June 2025. However, Laporta did not travel with the team for their 2-0 in at Almeria in La Liga on Thursday, with Spanish media reporting he was angry with Xavi’s pre-match comments.
The coach had highlighted Barcelona’s financial difficulties in comparison to the strength of new Spanish champions Real Madrid and other European giants.
“Barcelona fans have to understand, we’re not in the same situation (as those clubs),” said Xavi on Wednesday.
The coach stood by his words on Thursday when he was asked about Laporta not attending the Almeria match. “They haven’t told me anything personally... We travelled with the sporting vice-president, more directors, all normally,” Xavi said late Thursday. “I said what I think is real, that we will fight for all the trophies, with a lot of hope, with ambition, but that the situation is not easy. We are working very well, the club most of all, to change this situation.”
Barcelona won La Liga last season but were not able to defend the title. They went out of the Champions League in the quarter-finals to Paris Saint-Germain and will end the season trophy-less. Real Madrid thrashed Barca in the Spanish Super Cup final while Athletic Bilbao eliminated them in the Copa del Rey.
Barcelona's Spanish coach Xavi is pictured during the Spanish league football match between UD Almeria and FC Barcelona at the Municipal Stadium of the Mediterranean Games in Almeria on Thursday. (AFP)
