Soccer

Barcelona sack coach Xavi after trophyless season

Former Bayern Munich and Germany coach Hansi Flick is closely tipped to exchange Xavi.

Barcelona sacked coach Xavi Hernandez on Friday after the Catalan giants didn’t win a trophy this season however simply weeks since he and membership president Joan Laporta agreed he would keep within the put up.

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Xavi will take cost of the group’s ultimate La Liga match on Sunday at Sevilla earlier than departing.

“Barcelona president Joan Laporta has told Xavi Hernandez he will not continue as coach for the 2024-25 season,” mentioned Barcelona in an announcement.

Former Bayern Munich and Germany coach Hansi Flick is closely tipped to exchange Xavi.

In January, Xavi mentioned he would depart on the finish of the season however, after a run of robust type, in April he and president Laporta agreed the coach would keep for the following marketing campaign, along with his contract expiring in June 2025.

However, the scenario rapidly modified with Spanish media reporting Laporta was angered by Xavi’s feedback suggesting it was laborious for the financially-hamstrung membership to compete with Real Madrid and different elite European sides.

“Barcelona want to thank Xavi for his work as coach, which adds to his unmatchable career as a player and the captain of the first team, and wish him all the best in the future,” continued Barcelona’s assertion.

“In the coming days, Barcelona will reveal the new coaching structure for the first team staff.”

Barcelona gained La Liga final season however weren’t capable of efficiently defend the title within the present marketing campaign.

They had been knocked out of the Champions League within the quarter-finals by Paris Saint-Germain, had been hammered by Real Madrid within the Spanish Super Cup ultimate and misplaced to Athletic Bilbao within the Copa del Rey.

When Xavi, 44, made his U-turn to remain, it appeared he and Barcelona had been remaining collectively in a wedding of comfort.

“It’s great news that Xavi is staying,” mentioned Laporta on April 25.

“The group we’ve got, that’s (nonetheless) consolidating, with very younger gamers, wants that stability.

“Xavi is a reference for young players and we can see that — today I’m especially pleased, and the board have unanimously supported this decision.”

Less than a month later Barcelona’s tempestuous president modified his thoughts.

Xavi insisted over the previous fortnight he was nonetheless trying ahead to teaching the membership subsequent season and felt he had the arrogance of Laporta.

Barcelona’s chief appointed Xavi in November 2021 to exchange Ronald Koeman, aiming to lift the membership again to its pedestal after years of battle in Europe following their 2015 Champions League triumph.

As a participant Xavi made 767 appearances for the Catalan membership, behind solely Lionel Messi, successful eight La Liga titles and 4 Champions Leagues amongst different trophies.

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For years Xavi insisted his dream was to coach Barcelona however in January he mentioned the job was “cruel” and took a toll on him mentally.

Xavi’s possible substitute Flick, 59, has not coached since Germany sacked him in 2023 after a poor run of outcomes.

Previously Flick steered Bayern to a treble in 2020, together with an 8-2 thrashing of Barcelona within the Champions League quarter-finals.


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