Xavi Hernández has reversed his decision to leave Barcelona at the end of the season and will stay on as head coach after talks with the club president, Joan Laporta, and board members on Wednesday.
The 44-year-old had previously announced his departure after a 5-3 home defeat to Villarreal in January. Despite being under contract until the end of next season, Xavi had been expected to leave the Camp Nou before the end of June this year – but has now made a dramatic U-turn.
Xavi met face-to-face with Barça director Deco on Wednesday after Laporta had pushed to keep the head coach on board beyond the summer. Despite his reservations over continuing in the job, Xavi has agreed to continue after further talks with Deco, Laporta and other board members at the Barcelona president’s home.
The club are expected to make a formal announcement soon to confirm Xavi will remain in charge next season. It is not clear at this stage whether his contract will be extended beyond its current end date of June 2025.
The former Barcelona captain had insisted the club needed a “change of direction” and that he could “not allow the situation to continue” when he first revealed his intention to step down. “You often feel there is lack of respect, you feel that your work is not appreciated,” Xavi said in January.
Sunday’s controversial 3-2 clásico defeat to Real Madrid was Barça’s first in La Liga since the loss to Villarreal that prompted Xavi’s announcement. The team are second in the table, 11 points behind Madrid, and went out of the Champions League to Paris Saint-Germain in the quarter-finals.
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