Xavi

Xavi Denies Reports of Barcelona Exit Amid Financial Woes

BARCELONA: Xavi Hernández dismissed numerous reports from Spanish media on Saturday, which suggested that Barcelona’s leadership was considering his dismissal due to comments he made about the club’s financial difficulties affecting its ability to compete with Real Madrid.

Reassurance from the Club

“The club has assured me to stay calm and continue working with the same motivation and commitment. Nothing has changed,” Xavi stated during a pregame press conference.

Addressing the Speculation

Most of the questions Xavi faced centered on speculation in the Spanish sports press, claiming that club president Joan Laporta was unhappy with Xavi for his remarks earlier in the week.

Xavi had mentioned, “the situation is very difficult, above all on the economic level, for us to compete with our top rivals, whether it be Real Madrid or teams in Europe.” Reports suggested that Laporta was considering a replacement for Xavi this summer.

Also Read: Xavi’s Exit Sparks Barcelona’s Quest for Revitalization: Who Will Take the Helm?

Xavi’s Confidence

Xavi firmly denied these rumors. “I don’t know and I don’t care where that information is coming from. I have the support of the president and Deco, our sports director,” the former Barcelona midfielder emphasized.

Neither Laporta nor the club has publicly commented on the rumors, and when asked by The Associated Press, the club stated it had no comment.

A Challenging Season

Even if Barcelona retains Xavi, it remains an awkward situation for the coach, who had just reversed his decision to leave the club this summer. In April, Xavi announced he would stay on after his players showed belief in the team’s potential and improved their performances.

Laporta, who inherited a club with over 1.3 billion euros ($1.4 billion) in debt and the world’s most expensive payroll, brought back Xavi from coaching in Qatar to lead the team following the departure of superstar Lionel Messi. Despite financial constraints, Laporta managed to sign Robert Lewandowski and other players by selling future television revenues and other assets, which he called financial “levers.” These reinforcements helped Xavi guide Barcelona to a Spanish league title last season. However, the team has struggled this season and will finish without any titles.

Setting Expectations

Xavi’s recent comments appeared to be an attempt to temper fan expectations about significant summer signings. With wages still exceeding the Spanish league’s salary cap, Barcelona is more likely to sell players than bring in new talent this off-season.

Barcelona plays Rayo Vallecano on Sunday, aiming for a win to secure a second-place finish in the domestic league and a spot in the Spanish Super Cup.

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