Barcelona (AFP) – Barcelona president Joan Laborta said on Sunday that coach Xavi Hernandez has agreed to leave his position at the end of the season because he is a “legend” at the Catalan club.
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Laporta confirmed to the media in Barcelona, ”It was a formula I accepted because it was Xavi who proposed to me and he is a legend of the club and an honest and generous person who loves Barcelona.”
The 44-year-old former midfield “maestro” announced on Saturday that he would step down from his position on June 30 after a heavy 5-3 defeat against Villarreal, which dropped the defending champions to fourth place with 44 points, 11 points behind. Leaders on stage, behind Girona. Twenty two.
Xavi, who last September extended his contract until 2025, led Barcelona to their first league title since 2019 in addition to the Spanish Super Cup last season.
Barcelona's performance has dipped significantly this season as they lost 1-4 to Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup final in Riyadh, then went out 2-4 after extra time to Athletic Bilbao in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals.
Laporta continued, “The Spanish league will be tough, but it's not in our hands yet. We have to fight to finish the season at the highest level.”
“We have to give everything we have to win the Champions League as well,” he said, with Barcelona facing Italian rivals Napoli in the last-eight in two weeks' time.
© 2024 AFP
