On Wednesday, it was officially announced that Xavi Hernandez would leave his position as Barcelona coach, and was immediately replaced by Hansi Flick, whose arrival had been two weeks in the making, although it was only confirmed on Friday that Xavi would be sacked at the end of the season.
Rumors of Xavi's impending sacking emerged ahead of Barcelona's trip to Almeria two weeks ago. The 44-year-old was completely oblivious to the situation, except for following news in the media. Joan Laporta chose to speak to him about it, despite his replacement being worked on in the background.
According to Bar Canalites, Xavi directly contacted Pini Zahavi, Flick's agent and close friend of Laporta, when he learned that the Barcelona president would not be meeting with him. Zahavi assured Xavi that he would be sacked.
🚨 When Laporta refused to meet Xavi, former Barcelona coach directly called Pini Zahavi to confirm the rumors about Flick. Zahavi replied: “Xavi, you are smart, you know the answer.” @BarCanaletes
— Barca Center (@BarcaCenter) May 29, 2024
Barcelona and Laporta have been criticized by fans in the last week or so for their treatment of Xavi, a club legend no less. The silence between the pair did not go down well with many onlookers, especially considering that Laporta had begged Xavi to continue in his position as manager just weeks earlier.
