A few weeks after his decision to stay at Barcelona, it seems that coach Xavi is still on his way out. But not by choice: some of Xavi’s statements would have gone in the wrong direction with the president. Spanish media said: “He will be fired on Sunday.”
At the end of April, club president Joan Laporta was still “delighted” that he had managed to convince Xavi to remain coach of the team, but he now appears to be taking a 180-degree turn. What happened?
Some of Chafee’s statements were received incorrectly by the board this week. “Twenty years ago, the Barcelona coach said: ‘I want that player, that player, and that player.’ This is no longer possible,” Xavi said.
“The economic situation has changed. We don’t have the same opportunities as Real Madrid or other European teams. But that doesn’t mean we’re not playing for trophies. We just need time.”
“The goal is to improve by bringing in new players. If we don’t change, we won’t improve.”
This turned out to be fuel to the fire for Barcelona’s board of directors. After these statements, Laporta and sporting director Deco decided not to travel to Almeria. A clear signal for Xavi.
No one told me anything. There are no changes for my future.
Xavi
Twenty-two days after choosing to stay, leaving suddenly seems like an option again. In the press conference after the 0-2 win, Xavi denied speculation about his future.
“No one told me anything. There are no changes in my future. I just said what is the status of the club. We will fight for it, but the circumstances are not easy.”
However, the Barcelona coach seemed a bit more combative. “I really want Barcelona to win titles again. This year we weren’t good enough, but we really came close.”
According to Spanish media, this will not save Xavi’s skin. RAC1, Sport and El Mundo Deportivo report that Laporta has decided to fire the 44-year-old.
Xavi’s dismissal will be announced after the team’s match against Rayo Vallecano on Sunday, in which Barcelona could secure second place.
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