Football fans were left stunned as Xavi Hernandez announced that he would not be continuing as Barcelona manager next season. The announcement came after Barcelona’s shocking 3-5 defeat against Villarreal at home.
The result saw them fall 10 points behind Real Madrid in the La Liga standings. It was an action-packed game which lived up to its billing. First, Villareal were 2-0 up, then Barcelona fought back with three goals in 12 minutes, to go 3-2 up in the 72nd-minute.
But shoddy defending once again cost Barcelona, as Goncalo Guedes levelled for the visitors in the 84th-minute, followed by Alexander Sorloth scoring the winner in stoppage time, and Jose Morales adding another.
Speaking to the media after the defeat, Xavi said, “I would like to announce that on June 30 I will cease being the coach of Barca. As a Barcelona fan, I can’t allow this situation to continue, we need a change of course and of dynamics.”
Opening up on his tenure, he stated, “The feeling of being the coach of Barcelona is cruel, it is unpleasant, you feel like you don’t get the respect you deserve.”
“It wears you down, affects your mental health, your emotions, up to the point that you say you can’t go on. My loved ones know that,” he added.
It is just not Xavi, who will be quitting. Even Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp recently announced that he would be leaving Liverpool after this season. So when Xavi announced the shocking news, fans and experts began to urge Joan Laporta to swoop in for the German.
But famous transfer journalist Fabrizio feels it will be hard for Barcelona to get Klopp. Speaking to CaughtOffside, he said, “We’re inevitably seeing links with Barcelona now after Xavi also announced he was leaving his job there, but there is nothing ongoing now. It’s still all very early and fresh, Barca will take their time to decide, it’s not going to be decided in some days…step by step.”
“Klopp has been very clear that he wants to stop for one season so I think it would be more than complicated for Barca or anyone else to hire him for next season. As of today, my understanding is there’s nothing going on on that front,” he added.
Unlike Xavi and Barcelona, Klopp’s Liverpool are currently on top of the Premier League table with 48 points in 21 matches, ahead of Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, who have bagged 43 in 20 games, but have an extra match in hand.