This Friday, the president of FC Barcelona spoke about the negotiations for Xavi’s departure in June 2024.
It was inevitable. After a difficult first part of the season and an equally delicate start to 2024 marked by a humiliation against Real Madrid and an elimination in the Copa del Rey against Bilbao, Xavi announced his departure from the Catalan club at the end of the season last week.
The former club player therefore still has five months to save the furniture and finish his adventure as best as possible as coach of his long-time club. This Friday, club president Joan Laporta spoke about the agreement for Xavi to stay until the end of the season, while insinuating that his status within Barça played a big role in this decision. “Xavi told me it was better to leave and that he was giving up his last year of contract. I told him that I accepted this formula – to stay until June 30 – only because it’s him”he explained on the microphone of RAC1.
Laporta also assumed that without his status as a Blaugranas legend, Xavi would have been sacked from his post long before. “If it wasn’t Xavi, the coach would have been fired before. I accept it, Xavi gave us titles in a difficult moment and he represents something in our history”, he admitted. A statement that risks causing debate among fans of the reigning Spanish champion.
