Xavi Hernández, the head coach of FC Barcelona, has announced his decision to leave the club at the end of the current season. The announcement came after Barcelona’s 5-3 defeat to Villarreal in the Spanish league, leaving the team 10 points behind the league leaders, Real Madrid.
Xavi, who returned to coach Barcelona in November 2021, stated, “The players need a chance of dynamic and a change of situation. I think it is necessary.”
Emotions ran high among fans, one fan on X wrote : Xavi 💔 You came here at a time when we were at financial crisis and carried one of the worst Barca sides in history and you even won the League for us after 4 years. Thank you for everything mister
This decision comes in the wake of a series of disappointing results for Barcelona, including a 4-1 loss to Real Madrid in the Spanish Supercopa final and a 4-2 defeat to Athletic Bilbao in the Copa del Rey quarterfinals. Xavi’s tenure as the head coach saw Barca win the Spanish league title last season, but the team’s recent poor form and the significant gap in the league standings have led to this unexpected announcement.
Xavi Quits, Says Team Barcelona needs a change
The potential replacements for Xavi as the coach of Barcelona are being widely discussed. Some of the candidates being considered include:
- Garcia Pimienta: He is the coach of Las Palmas and is seen as a potential replacement with ‘Barca DNA’ due to his clear identity and way of playing, based on the principles he learned in almost three decades at Barca, first as a player, then as a coach at La Masia — their famed youth academy.
- Rafa Marquez: The former Barca player and the current head coach of Barca Atletic (Barcelona reserves) is also a possible option. Marquez has expressed his interest in the position, stating, “Who wouldn’t want to be Barca coach? I will continue working hard, it’s only my second season as a coach”.
Due to Barcelona’s stricken finances, they may struggle to bring in even a modestly-paid replacement. However, other potential options are being considered, but no specific names have been confirmed at this time.
