Barcelona manager Xavi to leave at end of season

During the time period of 1998 to 2015, Xavi was able to make 767 appearances for Barcelona while scoring 85 goals.

Xavi, who currently holds the position of Barcelona manager, has announced that he will be resigning from his position at the end of the season.

In the 2022-23 season, he successfully led Barca to win the Spanish title but their recent 5-3 loss against Villarreal on Saturday means they are now 10 points behind the top team in La Liga, Real Madrid.

Xavi stated that he has been devoted to the club and placed it above his own needs. He has dedicated all of his efforts towards it.

"I will persist in my efforts to ensure that the supporters experience a sense of pride."

The man, who achieved great success during his time playing for Barcelona and is currently 44 years old, will officially resign on 30 June, even though he could have continued for another year according to his contract.

The person who won the World Cup in 2010 shared that he came to this conclusion after having discussions with different people from Barcelona such as the president Joan Laporta, the vice-president Rafa Yuste, and the sporting director Deco.

Xavi stated that he thinks the club could benefit from a shift in energy. He believes that by making this change, it could allow the players to perform in a more relaxed manner. Currently, the team is playing with a lot of pressure which may be hindering their abilities.

"It's in the board of director's best interest for me to step down. I'll put forth my greatest effort to ensure a positive impact on the organization's future. I believe this will assist in fostering a shift in dynamics. This is the statement I wish to convey. I have confidence in my decision."

In the current month, Xavi declared that he would "get ready to leave" if his team lost confidence in him after a 4-1 loss to their opponents, Real Madrid, in the Spanish Super Cup.

After winning two games in a row, Barcelona suffered a loss in the Copa del Rey against Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday. They also fell back in the race for the title after another loss to Villarreal.

Xavi mentioned that his profession has had a negative impact on his wellbeing and now is an appropriate moment for him to withdraw and prioritize his mental health.

According to him, when you are in Barcelona, you consistently experience an undervalued treatment. He also stated that this is the culture of the club.

On a psychological level, it's quite challenging as well. Although I have a cheerful disposition, my energy levels seem to deplete constantly. Eventually, I come to the realization that it's futile to persist.

Xavi is also confident that by making his departure public at this point, it will help to ease tensions for the remainder of the season. This is particularly important as the team is set to face Napoli in the last-16 round of the Champions League in the coming month.

Even if I were to win the Champions League, I would still stand by my decision. I plan to inform the players about this tomorrow. Due to my position of responsibility, the players will finally have a sense of liberation.

Money isn't what motivates me, it's my passion. I truly believe it's the right decision for the organization.

I aim to be a solution rather than a problem. I am confident that I can continue to be helpful until June.

'Will He Keep Managing?'

A scrutiny carried out by the proficient Spanish football analyst Guillem Balague.

Above all, Xavi is a staunch supporter of Barcelona and a competent, practical evaluator of the state of affairs at a team that he has an intimate understanding of.

In addition, he is a leader who groomed himself to take on the role of Barcelona's manager. I cannot envision him overseeing any other team. It is uncertain whether he will pursue a career in management beyond this point.

Having achieved the two aforementioned things and emerging as the champions of the league, that particular juncture turned out to be a pivotal moment for his Barcelona stint. Rather than leveraging his influence to secure greater power, the organization deprived him of his authority. Consequently, he was bereft of the support of Jordi Cruyff, who held the position of sporting director, and Mateu Alemany, who was the director of football. This left him to face the challenges alone.

Just a quick reminder that Club President Joan Laporta didn't originally choose Xavi. Xavi was actually a candidate of another contender, Victor Font, during the elections. Nevertheless, Laporta believed that the fans needed a familiar face during a time of trouble and uncertainty, which is why he gave Xavi the opportunity to take on the team.

He suggested that Xavi should spend a couple of years playing for the B team, similar to what Pep Guardiola did. However, Xavi declined the suggestion and expressed his desire to immediately play for the first team. Laporta was never fully convinced of Xavi's abilities.

After holding the reins for three years, the players ought to have achieved a higher level of skill. However, their individual performance appears to have declined from the previous season, and their teamwork lacks a clear strategy. Xavi needs to determine if his leadership was inadequate or if the circumstances prevented his success.

Since he achieved a lot of accomplishments as a player, he may not feel compelled to strive for success as a manager. If he lacks the strong desire for it, then maybe he wasn't fully prepared for the Barcelona role. Nevertheless, it's an aspect he must analyze eventually.