Xavi Hernández will step down from coaching FC Barcelona as of June 30. This was announced after the tough 3-5 defeat against Villarreal, which left the club ten points behind the leader of La Liga Santander, Real Madrid. Hernández will leave the team after three and a half years, in which he won two titles.
The 2023-2024 season is not the best for the Catalan club since it is third in the local championship and was eliminated from the Copa del Rey. They still have to face Napoli in the UEFA Champions League round of 16. At the same time, their play abilities are far from what we have seen in previous seasons.
This reality was aggravated by the recent elimination against Athletic Bilbao and the home defeat against Villarreal, which led to the coach's announcement.
Xavi Hernández anuncia que el 30 de junio dejará de ser entrenador del FC Barcelona: “Creo que la situación merece un cambio de rumbo y como culer no puedo permitir esta situación” pic.twitter.com/yQKF0KmpVw
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona_es) January 27, 2024
Hernández arrived at the club in November 2021 to replace Ronald Koeman, who had not had very good results on the Barça bench. Although his term is remembered for two consecutive eliminations in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League, he managed to win a local league and a Spanish Super Cup in his second season.
"I don't want to be a hindrance to the club"
Xavi announced his resignation at the press conference after the match against Villarreal, surprising the journalists present.
"I think that the solution being coherent and with common sense is that I leave the position on June 30, I will continue until then, this is what we have agreed to with the president. We have a president who is amazing, brave, all of this is going to contribute to de-escalating the club's situation. I am a culé," the former soccer player began.
In turn, he took responsibility for the current club's situation and pointed out that his departure would bring about a good change for the team. "I feel like the person most responsible, I think things have worked very well, an excellent job has been done, but I think our project should be until June 30. I think it will free up the players and de-escalate the club's general situation. I made the decision days ago, and in some way, I have freed myself," he explained.
"I don't want to be a hindrance to the club; I always want to be a solution; I never want to be a problem. I was a solution two years and three months ago, but now, thinking with my heart and thinking about the club for which I want the best, the best thing is that I leave on June 30. I thank the president for his trust. We have a president who is the best, both he and Rafa and Alejandro are very valid and I think this will de-escalate the situation," he added.
Finally, he revealed that he had already been discussing his decision with the club's directors and hopes to finish the season in the best way possible.
