Barcelona head coach Xavi Hernández has reversed his decision to leave the club at the end of the season, just 88 days after announcing his departure and calling it a "liberation." The former Barcelona player, who took over as head coach in 2021, cited unfinished business and the support of fans and players as the main reasons for his change of heart.
Xavi's initial decision to step down came on January 27, following a humiliating 5-3 defeat to Villarreal, which he described as a portrait of their season: self-inflicted and absurd, a complete collapse. At the time, he told friends that being the coach of Barcelona was no life and that there was no sense in continuing. He planned to see out the job until the end of the season and then walk away, even if they won the Champions League.
However, on Wednesday night, Xavi met with sporting director Deco and club president Joan Laporta at the latter's home, where they ordered Japanese takeaway and discussed the future. After an hour-long meeting, it was confirmed that Xavi would be staying on as head coach.
"After the Real Madrid game, I spoke to Xavi, and I was always clear that I wanted him to continue," Laporta said. "Stability is very important for success."
Xavi, who had previously linked his continuity to trophies, admitted that the job "wears you down terribly, in terms of health, of mental health, your mood, your emotional state." He felt that his work was not being recognized and that there was no appreciation for the challenges he faced, including financial limitations and the club's inability to secure the players he wanted.
However, since announcing his departure, Xavi noticed a shift in the environment around the club. Results improved, with Barcelona going 13 games unbeaten, winning 10 of them. Players and fans responded positively, with some even asking if he might change his mind. Internally, he began to feel a sense of warmth and support that had been lacking before.
"It's a cocktail of things that have led me to take this decision," Xavi said. "It wasn't a question of money or ego. The fans played an important role, a good part of this decision is because of them. The complicity and support of the players has been very important."
Despite the club's recent defeats to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League and Real Madrid in LaLiga, effectively ending their hopes of silverware this season, Xavi remains committed to the project. "We probably won't win any trophies this season, but this is a winning project. We have to continue with it and we have to keep working hard. I feel we have the capacity, the energy, and the motivation to keep going," he said.
Xavi denied that his decision to stay was based on any conditions related to his backroom staff or summer signings, and he hit out at reports suggesting he had demanded to be paid the rest of his contract if he were to leave. "That's absolutely not the case and comes from people who want to do damage to me as a person," he said.
Laporta, who had publicly stated that losing brings consequences, clarified that those consequences don't have to be drastic and that the required changes would be led by Xavi and Deco this summer.
