Xavi to quit his Barcelona job

Barcelona – Only a few months after lifting the Spanish title, Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez (above) dramatically announced he would walk away from the club at the end of the season.

The 44-year-old, who excelled in Barcelona’s midfield during 17 years as a player, described the job as his “dream” in the years before he was appointed in November 2021.

After a 5-3 collapse against Villarreal on Saturday which left the champions 10 points adrift of league leaders Real Madrid, Xavi said coaching Barcelona was a “cruel and unpleasant” experience.

Real Madrid thrashed Barcelona 4-1 earlier in January to win the Spanish Super Cup and Athletic Bilbao hammered the Catalans 4-2 on Wednesday to eliminate them from the Copa del Rey, paving the way for Xavi’s decision.

Xavi took over in one of the toughest moments of Barcelona’s history, a few months after their greatest ever player Lionel Messi left, with the club in dire economic straits.

The coach, who won 25 trophies with Barcelona as a player in 767 appearances, led the team from ninth in the table to second in his first season at the helm, securing Champions League qualification.

Xavi followed that by winning the Spanish Super Cup in January 2023 and then Barcelona’s first league title since 2019, with his project gathering speed.

Humiliating consecutive group stage Champions League exits blotted his copybook, but Barca appeared to be improving after largely dismal spells under Quique Setien and Ronald Koeman.

Despite winning La Liga, some media and supporters grumbled that the team was not playing good football.

Xavi, the symbol of Barcelona’s possession game as a player under Pep Guardiola, was expected by supporters to deliver that kind of dominant football – and he insisted it was his aim.

Yet Barcelona won the title on the basis of their superb defence, conceding just 20 times in 38 La Liga matches. This season they have already let in 29 in 21 games.

The collapse of that defensive strength and worsening performances have led Xavi to walk away, he says to change a “negative dynamic” around the team he loves.

Barring a miracle in La Liga or an unlikely Champions League charge, his departure as coach will be uneventful.