Xavi has performed a sensational U-turn on his decision to leave Barcelona at the end of this season and will instead stay with the club until at least the end of his current contract in 2025.
Having delivered a first La Liga title in four years last season, the Camp Nou legend had only agreed a contract extension in September. Yetut by January, he shocked the world by announcing his plan to step down this coming summer.
His decision came after a difficult run of results, including a heavy Supercopa de Espana defeat to Real Madrid, with the explanation that he felt drained and underappreciated.
Barcelona were subsequently linked with a number of names, including the likes of Thomas Tuchel and Hansi Flick, but there was always an underlying feeling that the issue of Xavi’s future wasn’t over.
On Wednesday evening, local reports from Mundo Deportivo and SPORT broke the news that the 43-year-old is now expected to stay on instead. It followed a meeting between Xavi, his brother Oscar, and sporting director Deco earlier in the day, after which the trio went to president Joan Laporta’s house. The president is now tipped to announce the change of heart on Thursday.
Speaking in January, Xavi gave damning reasoning for his desire to leave, describing the job of being Barcelona head coach as “cruel” and “unenjoyable”, issues that have presumably had to be resolved.
“I think that the work has not been valued enough and this causes wear and tear on me. This is my feeling. It is not because I can’t stand the pressure. We arrived at one of the most difficult moments in the history of the club,” he explained at the time, referring to the crippling financial problems.
“I made the decision [to leave] a long time ago. Our work is not valued enough. And at the beginning of the season I already thought it would be the last. I don’t rule out returning. Barca will have me for whatever they need, but now I think they don’t need me. I think work is not valued.
“That’s how I feel. It’s like that. They make you feel worthless every day. Speaking with Pep [Guardiola], he already told me that. It also happened with [Ernesto] Valverde. I saw Luis Enrique suffer. We have to reflect. We have a problem with the demands of this charge. It seems like you’re risking your life every moment. That’s why I say it’s cruel, it’s not enjoyable.”
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