“Why would I go back there”.
“Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has made it clear that he has no intention of returning to FC Barcelona,” the British newspaper Tribuna reported on May 10, saying, “He has made it clear that there is absolutely no chance of him leaving City and returning to his hometown club Barça.”
On May 24, FC Barcelona announced on its website that “Xavi will not continue as Barcelona first team coach. President Joan Laporta informed him this Friday that he will not continue as Barcelona coach for the 2024-2025 season,” the club announced.
“Barcelona would like to thank Xavi for his work as a coach and his incredible career as a team captain, and we wish him all the best in his future endeavors around the world,” the club added. Xavi will coach the team for the last time on Sunday against Sevilla, and the club will announce the new first team structure in the coming days.”
It’s a shocking ending. Xavi is an undisputed Barcelona legend. During his playing days, he formed the Barcelona midfield alongside Andreas Iniesta and Sergio Busquets, leading the team to its greatest heights. Of course, the star of the show was always Lionel Messi, but Xavi was also an all-time great midfielder.
The retired coach returned to his hometown club in November 2021, succeeding Ronald Koeman as Barcelona manager for the season. He won La Liga in the 2022-2023 season, but was criticized for his poor performances and lack of success in cup competitions, and eventually announced that he would leave the club at the end of the season.
Xavi made the surprise announcement in a press conference after a loss to Villarreal in January, and informed the club of his intention to resign. Barcelona accepted. Then things changed. After Xavi said goodbye, Barcelona went on to perform well. They reached the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League (UCL).
They narrowly missed out on the quarterfinals, but Ronaldo’s early sending off proved fatal. As public opinion changed, so did Xavi and Barcelona. The two sides came to an 먹튀검증 agreement again, and on March 25, Xavi’s stay was officially announced. “The project is not over yet,” Xavi said, insisting that staying was the best option for the club.
However, the situation changed again in less than a month. Xavi’s comments became a problem. In a press conference ahead of the Almeria game, Xavi spoke about the club’s financial struggles and admitted that the current squad couldn’t compete with the best teams in Europe, including Real Madrid. He also said that fans should lower their expectations.
Laporta was furious. “Laporta called Xavi to his home last month to convince him to stay, and he was promised that he would see him fighting for the team and everything,” Mundo Deportivo reported. He doesn’t understand Xavi’s change of heart.”
Eventually, the Barcelona hierarchy sacked Xavi. In an unprecedented 메이저사이트 move, President Laporta once caught and then fired Xavi after he resigned. His successor was Hanji Flick, a former Bayern Munich and German national team coach.
Even Guardiola, who led Barça through its best years, has joined the criticism of the club’s management. In fact, he left the club during Laporta’s first term due to the chaotic situation. His relationship with Laporta hasn’t improved since then.
Guardiola was recently reported to be leaving City at the end of next season. In this situation, he made it clear: “There will be no return to Barça. It”s over. In short, he expressed his dissatisfaction with the chaos that is taking place under Laporta.