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4 months ago
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FC Barcelona thought it would have a rather quiet end to the season to better prepare for the next year… it failed. The club’s supporters woke up on Friday morning to astonishing news. Joan Laporta made the improbable decision to fire Xavi one year from the end of his contract. The roller coaster started again in the coach’s case. On January 28, the latter announced his departure at the end of the championship. At the end of April, he changed his tune and agreed with the club to stay. Three weeks later, another turnaround in the situation, he is back on the move.
The reason mentioned in the Spanish press would be his recent statements on the worrying state of Barça’s finances. Laporta would not have appreciated this media coverage, which is nothing other than an open secret. “I simply said the economic situation of the club is not the best…” repeated the coach Thursday evening after the success of the Blaugrana in Almeria. A trip that the Barcelona president did not make, nor did Deco, a particularly rare thing that alerted certain media. Indeed, this last minute choice was indeed motivated by Xavi’s comments during the pre-match.
Laporta’s emotion won out
Very angry, Laporta felt betrayed by the man he had always protected, given his status as a Barça legend. He interpreted this as a form of pressure in order to provide the means this summer, which the club is not able to offer him, and which was never discussed during the decision to continue together. As for those around Xavi, there is shock and dismay. We plead misinterpretation and misunderstanding of the situation. How can we explain this radical change in just three weeks, when the two men warmly embraced each other in front of the cameras?
The various sources close to management are not that surprised. Laporta is often driven by impulse. This emotionality took over reason, taking a lot of people by surprise even within FC Barcelona, the first victim of this personal conflict. “Laporta is considered by many to be the best president in the history of the clubanalyzes Gerard Piqué on Jijanteswhich appeals to socios. Results aren’t everything. Socios are lucky to be able to vote for the president. I will give him time until the end of the term. We must be responsible for who and what we vote for.”
The first exchanges between Xavi and Laporta calmed the game
Firing Xavi also has a cost. According to the Spanish media, this bloodshed would be estimated at €20 million, €15 million for the coach, the rest for his dismissed technical staff. A sum that Barça cannot really afford, especially as new management would have to be financed. This is also why Laporta sent a trusted man, Alejandro Echevarría, his ex-brother-in-law, to meet Xavi this Friday and convince him to resign rather than go into battle. Not sure that the 44-year-old man will accept this new episode. We are not immune to yet another 180° turn either.
All the reasons outlined maintain a certain level of uncertainty over Xavi’s future. Since the first information came out in the press, the coach has demanded an interview with his president, who should ultimately not take place in the coming hours. Difficult to interpret these kinds of signals. The two men still exchanged messages. Relevo also specifies that this could have reduced the pressure a little on the side of the elected president. Will this be enough to get back on track, together? The near future will tell. It is fashionable to recall that part of the board of directors of April 24, the one which kept Xavi in the position, was convinced that the coach would not continue his mission…
