Xavi Hernández backs down and will remain on the Barcelona bench for at least one more year – – 2024-04-28 20:52:54

Barcelona’s two consecutive defeats in a matter of days ruined the club’s last two ambitious goals: the Champions League and the Spanish League. The elimination against Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and the setback against Real Madrid ended the hope of winning any of those trophies, after the White House moved away to 11 points in the local tournament with only 18 to play and, in the middle of a black week for the cast of Catalonia, the fans may have great news for the next season.

The journalist specialized in the transfer market, Fabrizio Romano, made it official that Xavi Hernández would be one step away from fulfilling his contract until 2025, despite having announced his resignation on January 27 starting at the end of this season: “ Xavi has decided to change his mind and continue as Barcelona coach! “He accepts Barça’s conditions and will continue as coach.”

These conditions mentioned by Romano are related to what was stated by the Spanish newspaper Sport, who assured that the president, Joan Laporta, was not going to issue a “blank check” to the winner of 4 Champions Leagues as a Blaugrana player. One of the limits is drawn in the incorporations because the newspaper stated that “there will not be many signings” due to the impediments of Financial Fair Play and “the squad will be very similar to the current one.” One of the names circulating to reinforce the team is Luis Díaz, Liverpool star, while PSG is closely following the jewel of La Masía, Lamine Yamal.

It is worth noting that the resignation from office starting next June had been announced by the driver himself at a press conference after a tough 5-3 defeat against Villarreal at home, a match that he was winning 3-2 with just a few minutes remaining. regulation time: “It is a situation that requires common sense and I have decided that on June 30 I will not continue as Barça coach.”

Xavi characterized the decision as “irrevocable.” “The club needs a change of dynamic. The best thing is to leave on June 30”, he sat down in conversation with journalists. And he added: “The feeling of being a Barça coach is unpleasant, it is cruel, you feel that you are disrespected many times, that your work is not valued and it is a terrible drain on your mental health and state of mind. I’m a very positive guy, but the energy goes down to the point where you say there’s no point in continuing. And it is like that, I have decided on it for a long time and it is a situation that already affects the club. And then I have to decide that I am leaving on June 30, without further ado.”

The best response to Xavi Hernández’s words was found on the field. The team came out to defend it with a streak of 13 games without losing (10 wins and 3 draws). From that moment on, he began to seriously consider the continuity of the coach who had renewed his contract in 2023 until June 30, 2025 after being champion of La Liga and the Spanish Super Cup. And Laporta insisted on making this final happen, as Fabrizio Romano noted.

Likewise, the Catalan newspaper Sport indicated that Xavi wanted guarantees for the sports project because he wants top-level signings and the club presented him with a scenario that convinced him. “Although the financial context will not be ideal in any case, the culé entity plans to execute several operations that provide some room for maneuver to undertake signings.”

The decision was reversed this Wednesday based on different conversations carried out by the counselor together with Laporta and the Sports Director, Deco, in the company of the sports vice president Rafael Yuste and Alejandro Echevarría, an important person from the sports leadership.

Xavi Hernández, 44, took charge of Barcelona in November 2021, replacing the Dutchman Ronald Koeman. He led 136 duels with 85 wins, 28 losses and 23 draws.

Immediately, there are six games remaining this season. They will have to face Valencia, Girona, Real Sociedad, Almería, Rayo Vallecano and Sevilla. They have the obligation to win to secure second place in the championship, qualifying for the 2025 Spanish Super Cup. Currently, they occupy that step with only two points ahead of third place, Girona. Victory will be the only antidote to postpone Merengue’s coronation or feed the utopian hope of retaining the title achieved in 2023.