Xavi has admitted that he decided a while ago to step down as Barcelona manager as he launched what appeared to be a scathing attack on the club hierarchy.
The former midfielder’s reign as Barcelona coach ended in farcical circumstances on Saturday night with him announcing his decision to quit at the end of the season after losing 5-3 at home to Villarreal.
The 44-year-old, who admitted he will leave his post even if his side go onto win the Champions League, revealed the news with his side 10 points adrift of rivals Real Madrid at the top of LaLiga.
He expressed his frustrations following Barca’s latest shock result, plunging the club into turmoil again after it looked their former midfielder had steadied the ship.
But that’s far from the case, with the direction of the club once again up in the air following Xavi’s decision to step down at the end of the season.
‘I decided it some time ago,’ he revealed after the news broke on Saturday.
‘People talk about there being a [Sir Alex] Ferguson at Barcelona but that is impossible at this club.
‘The feeling of being a Barca coach is cruel, and an unpleasant one. There is a lot of disrespect and it affects you, until it leads to a decision like this one.’
Despite winning the club the LaLiga title for the first time in four years last season, the club have struggled this campaign and pressure has been building for weeks with the club’s sporting director Deco rumoured to be keen on replacing Xavi with B-team coach Rafa Marquez.
But it seemed despite the 5-3 drubbing there would be no action taken against Barcelona’s all-time most decorated homegrown player.
Then he sit down to reporters for his post-match media conference and said: ‘Before you ask me any questions, I would like to announce that on 30 June I will not continue as Barca coach.
‘It is a decision I have taken with the president, with (director) Rafa Yuste and with Deco.
‘The situation we are in warrants a change of direction and as a Barcelona fan I know things can’t go on like this.’
Marquez will be favourite to take over at the club, which has been unsettled for a number of years due to recent financial struggles.
But it marks the end of what fans had hoped would be a stable, long and successful reign of the club legend, just over two years since his appointment.
READ MORE…
