Less than a year ago, FC Barcelona were on a high after winning the Spanish Super Cup and La Liga under manager Xavi Hernandez. However, with almost half the season left to play in the ongoing 2023/24 campaign, the legendary midfielder-turned-manager has announced that he will leave his post this summer.
Barcelona have failed to mount a convincing title defence since the season kicked off, with rivals Real Madrid and Girona jostling for the top spot throughout the first half of the campaign. The Blaugrana are currently in fourth place, sitting eleven points behind Girona and ten points behind Los Blancos.
On Saturday, they lost 5-3 at home in Montjuic against Villarreal in La Liga. The loss comes at the heels of a Copa del Rey elimination at the hands of Athletic Bilbao, and a 4-1 thrashing by Real Madrid at the Spanish Super Cup final earlier this month.
🔵🔴 Xavi: "This has happened to every Barcelona manager after some time. You end up leaving because it's not worth it to continue".
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 28, 2024
"I will rest for a bit after this season. My family have been suffering a lot with me in this tenure. I want to be with them". pic.twitter.com/dbM3fwGWLF
The string of disappointing results has put a lot of pressure on Xavi, and he announced on Saturday that he has reached his breaking point. He told reporters during a press conference that he will depart Barcelona on June 30, and that he made the decision with club president Joan Laporta and the club's staff.
Xavi did not mince words while explaining why he chose to depart his beloved club: "The feeling of being Barca coach is cruel, unpleasant, it feels like people lack respect for you a lot of the time. It's terrible on a mental health level, your morale ... to the point where you think there is no sense in continuing."
The former Barcelona player said that he felt his decision would be best for the club and its current players. "I have the feeling that I am doing the right thing, that I am acting with common sense. I think the club needs a change of dynamics, the dynamic is very negative," he added, confirming for the first time that the atmosphere off the pitch has become toxic at Barcelona.
How Xavi fell from grace
Barcelona were in the middle of a massive crisis in 2021 after their financial issues led to a major reshuffling in the organisation as well as in the first team roster. The morale was extremely low after the club was forced to let go of Lionel Messi that summer, but Xavi's arrival in November gave the club a major boost.
He gave up a highly lucrative job in Qatar to "rescue" his former club, and for a certain period it seemed like he was on his way to bringing Barcelona back to their glory days. Last season, he led the team to victory at the Spanish Super Cup, beating Real Madrid 3-1 in the final.
Then, despite continuing to struggle with their finances and facing numerous corruption scandals, Barcelona was still able to win La Liga last season under Xavi. This is why it has been quite a surprise that less than a year later, Xavi has decided to leave.
The 5-3 loss to Villarreal was the straw that broke the camel's back, so to speak. However, Xavi claimed that he had made the decision a long time ago, but has decided to wait for the right time to make it public. In fact, he said that his decision would not change even if his team wins the Champions League this year.
They are through to the knockout stages of the Champions League, and are still mathematically in contention for La Liga. He said that he will continue to fight even though he knows that he won't continue next season.
"I am more optimistic than ever with this change of dynamic ... we'll go for La Liga, it's very difficult but we will fight," he said, before admitting that he did not immediately speak to the players about his exit plans because the morale was already low after the Villarreal loss.
Xavi's tenure at Barcelona will last just over two-and-a-half seasons, and his exit will be heartbreaking for those who expected him to become a club legend both as a player and a manager. It may be remembered that he played as a midfielder for Barcelona in the highly successful period between 1998-2015.
However, he shared that it is impossible to emulate the likes of such managers as Sir Alex Ferguson for Manchester United or Arsene Wenger of Arsenal.
He added that he has already worn out his welcome even though he came amid a lot of hype and positivity in 2021. "I was a solution two years and three months ago (when he was appointed), but now, thinking with my heart and about the club, for who I want the best, the best thing is for me to go on June 30."
Meanwhile, it is understood that Xavi still has the full confidence of Laporta and the dressing room.
🔵🔴 Barça president Laporta: "I accept this situation proposed by Xavi to leave the club in June".
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 28, 2024
"I approve that because he's a Barça legend".
"I am convinced that the commitment of him and his staff until the end of the year will be maximum". pic.twitter.com/Rirk0kSXmU
