Barcelona have announced the dismissal of manager Xavi, with Hansi Flick, previously at Bayern Munich, set to take over the role.
Xavi’s final match as Barcelona’s coach will be this Sunday against Sevilla in their concluding La Liga fixture of the season.
The 44-year-old’s departure comes despite a contract extension until 2025, confirmed during a meeting last month with club president Joan Laporta and sporting director Deco. This meeting marked exactly one month after assurances were made about his continuation at the club.
Initially, Xavi had declared in January his intention to leave Camp Nou. However, he was convinced to remain following discussions with Laporta in April. Recent statements by Xavi regarding the club’s financial difficulties reportedly upset Laporta, leading to this decision.
Barcelona expressed their gratitude towards Xavi for his leadership and contributions since taking over as coach in 2021.
Barcelona Announces New Managerial Structure with Flick at the Helm
Barcelona is set to unveil a new managerial structure in the upcoming days, appointing Hansi Flick as the new head coach. Flick, 59, has been unattached since his dismissal as Germany’s manager in September 2023. His tenure with Germany was notable as he was the first to be sacked since the managerial role was established in 1926, achieving 12 wins out of 25 matches. Before his stint with the national team, Flick led Bayern Munich to a historic treble in 2020, capturing the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal, and Champions League titles. Notably, Barcelona’s star forward, Robert Lewandowski, aged 35, previously played under Flick for two seasons at Bayern Munich.
Barcelona’s Season Review: A Lackluster Title Defense Under Xavi
After leading Barcelona to the La Liga title in the 2022-23 season, Xavi’s subsequent campaign saw a significant falter in their championship defense. Currently, the team stands 12 points behind their arch-rivals Real Madrid, with just one game left in the season. In European competitions, Barcelona faced an early exit, being ousted from the Champions League at the quarter-final stage by Paris St-Germain.
Xavi, a product of Barcelona’s La Masia academy, spent 17 illustrious years as a player at the club before retiring. After hanging up his boots following a four-year stint with Al-Sadd in Qatar, Xavi transitioned into management, initially taking charge of Al-Sadd and later returning to Barcelona to replace Ronald Koeman in November 2021.
His first full season at the helm was marked by success, securing both the La Liga title and the Spanish Cup, which also facilitated a return to the Champions League. Over his tenure of 141 games as manager, Xavi has achieved 89 victories, reflecting a win ratio of 63%.
