Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez set for sack: Report

Barcelona: Barcelona is poised to sack coach Xavi Hernandez just weeks after he made a U-turn and decided to stay at the club, Spanish media reported on Friday.

Catalan radio station RAC-1 said president Joan Laporta had decided to sack Xavi, with daily newspaper Sport confirming the news, while AS said Barcelona was already deciding who would replace the coach.

In January, Xavi said he would leave at the end of the season but, after a run of strong form, in April he and president Joan Laporta agreed the coach would stay for the next campaign, with his contract expiring in June 2025.

However, Laporta did not travel with the team for its 2-0 in at Almeria in La Liga on Thursday, with Spanish media reporting he was angry with Xavi’s pre-match comments.

The coach had highlighted Barcelona’s financial difficulties in comparison to the strength of new Spanish champion Real Madrid and other European giants.

“Barcelona fans have to understand, we’re not in the same situation (as those clubs),” said Xavi on Wednesday.

The coach stood by his words on Thursday when he was asked about Laporta not attending the Almeria match.

“They haven’t told me anything personally... We travelled with the sporting vice-president, more directors, all normally,” Xavi told reporters late Thursday.

“I said what I think is real, that we will fight for all the trophies, with a lot of hope, with ambition, but that the situation is not easy. We are working very well, the club most of all, to change this situation.”

Barcelona won La Liga last season but was not able to defend the title. It went out of the Champions League in the quarterfinals to Paris Saint-Germain and will end the season trophyless.

Real Madrid thrashed Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final while Athletic Bilbao eliminated it in the Copa del Rey.

In April, Xavi, 44, said he was “full of hope” and that fans, players and “above all the confidence of the president and (sporting director) Deco” was what convinced him to stay.

Laporta said at the time that he was glad Xavi would remain at the helm and that it was good for the stability of the club. Agencies

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