Xavi He will continue to lead Barça, at least, until June 30, 2025. That is the intention of the coach, the Board of Directors and the sports commission. The Egarense has backed down, after announcing in January that he would leave the club at the end of the current campaign, and his commitment is clear: there will not be even an attempt at resignation again.
«I will continue no matter what happens, unless they say no, and then it will be no, of course. I have the commitment intact. It won’t happen again. The trust they have given me is spectacular and now it’s time to work,” said the coach in the press conference in which, next to the president, John Laportahis continuity at the head of the Barça bench has been confirmed.
«We have to continue believing in the project, out of Barcelona sentiment. I am left with the fact that we have an extraordinary person and with a feeling culé that transmits enthusiasm and confidence. Barcelona fans can be proud of the coach we have,” stressed the Barça leader.
«On the board we have always been well guided by the sports vice president, Rafael Yuste. She has always had it in her head that the situation we are reporting today had to occur. Xavi has the absolute confidence of the board of directors, the sports commission and, I hope, of Barcelona fans. We maintain a project that will be even more winning. And, in fact, in the short time he has been there, he has already won: a Super Cup and a League. In a time of drought and maximum difficulty, Xavi had the courage to assume this responsibility,” insisted Laporta, who wanted to point out that the decision has the unanimous support of all the members of the board.
“Barcelonians, believe, because it’s worth it”
«The objectives have vanished. The League is not mathematically lost, but it is complicated, and even more so with the situations that occur in some games. This is a decision that gives stability to the entity and the project. Barcelona fans, believe, because it is worth it, and for the club it is a pride to have a coach of the human quality, the knowledge and the incontestable Barcelonism that Xavi has,” harangued the president, who did not hesitate to remember the controversies of the last classic.
«At Wednesday’s meeting we didn’t talk about Xavi, we talked about other things. After the Bernabéu game we had total indignation. I already talked about it and we have talked to the CTA about the images. We thought it was a goal, the match was distorted and we will go to the final consequences. There cannot be 30 cameras for a match and it turns out that the one that can decide if it is a goal or not does not work,” he insisted.
The main thing, however, was the announcement of Xavi’s continuity. Something that, according to the leader, will be positive for the club. «I understand this project with Xavi as coach. I told him, we will not do anything regarding the coach until the end of the season, waiting to see how the course ends and, although I did not tell him, waiting to see how he feels,” explained the president. And, in the end, after perhaps leaving many clues, the expected change of course arrived.
«I feel that the decision I made in January was wrong, because now I feel the opposite. Young people believe in us, the entire staff has given me their support. Also, Deco and the president. That has made me reconsider. Rectifying is wise, and here I am,” explained Xavi who, between the lines, denied that his brother Oscar will stop being his second in command, as was discussed this Wednesday. Although, however, she admits that there will be some changes.
Changes in staff
«There will be situations where things will have to be changed. He staff is very large. In the technical part everything will remain the same, without changes. I am very proud and grateful to everyone. My teammates are wonderful, we have to adjust and change some things, but we have learned and what we change will always be so that the players perform at their best,” said Xavi, who assumes that the environment, which he has pointed out so many times for what understood as a lack of support, it will remain the same as always.
«My opinion of the environment is that it will continue to be cruel and unpleasant in adverse situations. I told the president that I feel like it, I can’t deceive the partners and the culés because I think this is not finished. There have been difficult situations and criticism, and there will be, but I will continue to think the same about the environment,” commented the Barça coach, who in turn lamented the team’s lack of competitiveness at key moments.
«I think we were better tactically than PSG in the first leg and the second leg. We needed to compete better, but it is part of the process, it is very difficult to always win, even if that is what they ask of us. You have to mature. As staff and together with the young footballers we have learned a lot, and next year we will do better. “We know the diagnosis,” said the coach, suggesting changes for the future in the squad.
«Obviously losing will have consequences, and there will be changes that will be decided between Deco and Xavi, of various kinds. There are certain degrees of consequences. Despite not having achieved the objectives, we have positive things. We are consolidating a project and there are young players breaking into the first team thanks to the structure and the coach. All this helps the club a lot. The project is intact in terms of confidence and enthusiasm. The consequences do not always have to be drastic. In this sense, I remain consistent, and will continue to do so. “I am not going to give pleasure to those who want to blow everything up now for not having achieved the objectives,” the president stated.