"He began by revisiting the moment Xavi changed his mind about leaving, saying, "Xavi had announced his departure himself, saying he would leave at the end of the season. " Then he asked to meet me at my home to explain that, in reality, he wanted to continue and felt the need to. "I asked him only one question - 'Xavi, do you believe in the team?' He replied: 'I believe 100% and I'll make these players champions.'""
""A week later, I heard him say in a press conference that he and the team would need two years to be competitive. I thought: 'What is this?'" The uncertainty continued to grow when Xavi later approached Deco, the sporting director, with suggestions about restructuring the squad."
Between January and May 2024, a turbulent managerial saga at Barcelona unfolded after Xavi Hernandez initially announced he would leave and then reversed that decision. Xavi privately told Joan Laporta he believed 100% in the team and would make the players champions, yet publicly stated the team would need two years to be competitive. Xavi later proposed roster changes to sporting director Deco, prompting concerns about squad stability and sporting direction. Laporta expressed respect for Xavi but said those mixed messages and proposals forced the club to reassess and led to tough decisions regarding the coach and several first-team players.
Read at Barca Universal
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