The head coach of the Spanish “Barcelona” Xavi after another defeat announced that he will leave his post at the end of the 2023/24 season. The decision, although emotional, is still correct: the Catalan club has not been playing at its level for a long time, and the way the new year began for the “blue garnets” makes it clear to the management that changes on the coaching bridge cannot be avoided. Xavi seized the initiative and only delayed the change of helmsman until June (unless, of course, things get really bad and they don’t say goodbye to the Spaniard sooner). ” />
Just on Friday, the sports press was abuzz with the statement of Liverpool head coach Jurgen Klopp: the German, who led the Merseysiders to victories in the English Championship and the UEFA Champions League, announced his departure at the end of the current season. The specialist confessed his love for the club, the city, the fans, and the staff, but pointed out a lack of energy. Promising he would never work with another English club after nine years at Liverpool, Klopp urged the team to make the most of the 2023/24 season.
New day, new parting.
And If Klopp's statement was made against the backdrop of the Reds' leadership in the English Premier League (EPL), then Xavi, on the contrary, decided to take a difficult step because of Barcelona's dark streak in the season.
On Saturday, the “blue garnets” sensationally lost at home to 14th-place Villarreal. And how they gave in! In the 22nd round of La Liga, the hosts first lost (0:2), and then turned everything upside down: Ilkay Gundogan, Pedri and visiting defender Eric Beyi, who scored an own goal, made the score 3:2. It would seem like a Catalan fairy tale… But the “yellow submarine” not only snatched a draw, but also knocked out the Spanish giants with goals in the 84th minute and in stoppage time. According to the statistical portal Opta, Barcelona conceded five goals at home in a national championship match for the first time since 1963.
The gap from the leading Real Madrid by ten points and from the second Girona by eight is depressing – to defend the championship title “Barca” will not be able to do it.
The failure in the match with Villarreal was the last straw not only for the fans, but also for Xavi. For whom 2024 becomes a hole from which neither the 44-year-old coach nor the club can get out:
- First, on January 14, Barcelona “Defeated Real Madrid in the final match of the Spanish Super Cup. The meeting in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) turned into a beating – a hat-trick by Vinicius Junior and the final 4:1 on the scoreboard;
- And last Wednesday, Barça was also knocked out of the Cup Spain. In Bilbao, local Athletic held out in regular time (2:2), and pinned the Catalans with two goals in extra time.
And then Xavi gave up, which, given his little coaching experience (he previously worked only in the Qatari Al-Sadd), was predictable. However, he decided not to announce his immediate resignation – his departure will take place after the current season, by the end of which the management will decide on a new helmsman. Here's what the Spaniard said at the press conference: “Before you ask me questions, I want to announce that from June 30 I will not work as head coach of Barcelona. We discussed this with the club president and management. As a fan of the team, I believe that the club needs changes, so the players will be freer and calmer. But I will give my all in the remaining four months to have a good season. I hope that the dynamics will change.”
The specialist also added that he wanted to spend more time with his family, and pointed out the pressure he faced in his coaching position:
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"Feel like the helmsman of Barca" – unpleasant and cruel. You feel that you are not respected, that your work is not appreciated. Such moments are terribly draining on the psyche. I'm a very positive guy, but my energy is dwindling to the point where there's no point in continuing. That’s the way it is… I made this decision a long time ago, the situation had a negative impact on the club.” (Mundo Deportivo).
Recall that the Spaniard took charge of Barça in November 2021. World champion, two-time Euro winner, four-time Champions League trophy winner and eight-time Spanish champion became a club legend as a player. But, alas, it didn’t work out to turn into “Sir Alex Ferguson from Barca: at the moment, Xavi the coach only has gold in the Spanish championship and the country’s Super Cup in the 2022/23 season. Let’s leave Qatar’s successes out of the equation.
< br>The resume of one of the greatest midfielders in the history of football is spoiled by the observation of journalist Pedro Martin. It turns out that Xavi set an anti-record for defeats among Spanish Barça coaches. He has 26 losses in 122 matches – for comparison, Pep Guardiola had 21 in 247 matches.
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Barcelona, despite the crisis, must continue to fight. Yes, in the Spanish Championship you can forget about the “golden race”, but there is the Champions League, where Xavi’s team left Group H in first place and will meet the Italian champion Napoli in the 1/8 finals.
The bosses of the blue garnets “In the meantime, they will be looking for a replacement for Xavi. The media name two candidates:
- Jose Mourinho. The Portuguese was fired from the Italian Roma, where he became the first coach in history to win the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League. The union with Barça will be amazing at first, but what next? Mourinho has looked nothing like the former “Special One” in recent years. Risky option;
- Michel. The head coach of Girona brought Huesca to the top division, and now he is making history with the Catalans: the “white-red” have second place in the La Liga standings and only one (!) defeat after 21 rounds. The press claims that Michel has already held three meetings with the management of Barcelona – it seems that this option will become a priority for the grandee.
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