Barcelona fire Xavi in an insane management crisis

Xavi Hernandez is the latest addition to the summer managerial changes as FC Barcelona wrapped up an unusual month of uncertainty by officially confirming his upcoming departure after the final game of the La Liga season.

In January of this year, the club icon surprised everyone by announcing that he would not fulfil the remaining year of his contract and would step down at the end of the 2023-24 season.

However, due to improved results and the board's support, he had a change of heart and decided to stay on as the club's leader as recently as late April.

According to Vice President Rafa Yuste, Xavi's future at the club seemed secure just a month ago. Yuste expressed confidence in Xavi's happiness and excitement, highlighting the unanimous support from the club's board for him to continue.

Since then, there has been ongoing speculation about his potential replacement. However, the Camp Nou club recently announced his imminent departure. Club president Joan Laporta informed Xavi that his contract would be terminated on Friday morning.

This decision comes after reports surfaced about the club's dissatisfaction with the head coach's approach to press conferences.

During these conferences, he consistently implied that the club's financial constraints prevented them from competing for significant honours.

According to a statement released by the Catalan side, FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta has notified Xavi Hernandez that he will not continue as the first-team coach for the upcoming 2024-25 season.

The meeting occurred at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper. It was attended by several influential figures, including sporting vice-president Rafa Yuste, director of sport Anderson Luis de Souza, Deco, Oscar Hernandez, and Sergio Alegre.

FC Barcelona expressed its gratitude to Xavi for his contributions as a coach and for his remarkable career as a player and team captain.

It also extended its best wishes for his future endeavours. Xavi Hernández is set to coach the team for the final time in Sunday's match against Sevilla.

In the coming days, FC Barcelona is set to make a significant announcement regarding changes to the first team structure.

In a recent development, Laporta expressed his satisfaction with Xavi's decision to remain with the team. He shared that he received the news directly from Xavi, who expressed his enthusiasm and confidence in the project and the team.

The coach is determined to develop a project that has already succeeded and is poised to achieve even more. However, the competition is expected to intensify as improvements are implemented.

In March, before Xavi's change of heart, there were reports that Barcelona was contemplating the appointment of Ruben Amorim, the current Sporting CP manager, as their new head coach.

Thomas Tuchel and Mauricio Pochettino are also now available. 

However, widespread rumours have linked former Bayern Munich and Germany national team manager Hansi Flick as a potential new face in the Camp Nou dugout.