Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez shocked Spanish football over the weekend with the announcement that he would be leaving the club at the end of the season. He claimed on Saturday that the decision had been made long before the announcement.
Xavi: “Barcelona fans need enthusiasm for next season. I think as a Culer, more than anything else, and that’s why I think the decision was the best one.”
— barcacentre (@barcacentre) January 30, 2024
Xavi had said on Saturday that the decision had been made prior to the announcement, and now claimed it had been on his mind ever since the start of the season.
“The level of football is not adequate, that’s the reason for my decision not to continue. I arrived here in one of the most difficult times in history and I believe that our work is not valued enough. At the beginning of the season I was already thinking that it was time to leave at the end of this year.”
Many have questioned the timing of the decision, and whether it might not have been better for the club to have clean break, or not to announce his exit until the end of the season. Xavi said he made the revelation in order to inspire a reaction.
“We needed a reaction and more enthusiasm. We have to continue. I think it is the best decision. Barcelona fans needed a reaction.”
Reportedly several players had asked him to reconsider his decision, and Xavi said his conversations would remain confidential, but did appreciate the immediate reaction.
“I have been surprised by the messages and calls. Many players have come to speak on an individual level. What matters most to me is human quality. There are footballers who have made me emotional. My announcement is so that the reaction is positive. I want to come to the Gamper trophy in July and I want the team to be the best it can be in these four months. We have to take a step forward. We depend a lot on the players being inspired.”
With little money to spend, and a squad that already looks short in some areas, Barcelona’s immediate future is shrouded in doubt. There are no clear candidates for the job in the summer, which looks a huge task at any rate. President Joan Laporta will now come under the spotlight to push Barcelona in the right direction again.
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