Former Barcelona president and candidate for the upcoming election, Joan Laporta, has once again explained the realities behind Xavi's departure as head coach in 2024. He said that this decision was not an "emotional" step - the issue is much deeper, related to the club's future plan and the atmosphere within the team.
Talk about trust and "sushi"
Laporta considered the stories about contract renewals being discussed at the time, and even "sushi ordered for the celebration," as ordinary interesting events. In his opinion, this was not the main problem. The main point was the coach's confidence in the team's future, that is, his internal position on whether "Barca" can truly compete for the championship.
Dispute between coach and management
Laporta emphasized that Xavi's frequent changes in views caused serious concern among the management. He explained this situation with an example:
- It wasn't an impulsive decision. When I asked him about his experience, he said that he had gained enough experience in Qatar. I believed, but everything didn't go as we expected.
According to Laporta, the biggest turning point was related to Xavi's public statements. When the management asked the coach, "How much do you trust the team?" Xavi replied that he trusted it 100%. However, two weeks later, he stated that Barça might not be competitive for another two years. This reinforced the conclusion in the club that "so, we are not on the same path."
Content "cleaning" plan
The most interesting detail discovered by Laporta is the composition issue. Citing information from the club's sporting director Decu, he stated:
- Deku told me that Xavi wants to renew 10 players in the squad. This completely contradicted the atmosphere within the team and the club's plans.
That is, the issue was not only about the result, but also about the strategic direction of "how, with whom, and in what atmosphere." For the management, the idea of replacing 10 players at once appeared as a threat to the club's internal policy, plan, and balance in the locker room.
The new era and the old questions
It's known that a new era has begun at Barcelona after Xavi's departure. But Laporta's words show one thing more clearly: at that time, the relationship between the coach and management wasn't at the level where "everything was fine," but rather there were serious conflicts regarding trust and direction.
In short, "sushi" is just a background. The main scenario was a clash of beliefs, strategy, and how to restructure the team.
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