Barcelona has announced the departure of coach Xavi Hernandez following a season without any silverware.
The club revealed this decision on Friday, stating that Xavi will manage Barcelona’s final La Liga match against Sevilla on Sunday before stepping down.
“President Joan Laporta has informed Xavi Hernandez that he will not continue as head coach for the 2024-25 season,” the club’s official statement read.
There is widespread speculation that former Bayern Munich and Germany coach Hansi Flick is poised to succeed Xavi.
Initially, Xavi had planned to leave at the end of the season. However, he reversed this decision in April after a series of strong performances, agreeing with Laporta to remain until his contract expired in June 2025. Despite this, tensions escalated following Xavi’s comments on the club’s financial struggles, which he suggested hampered their ability to compete with Real Madrid and other top European clubs, reportedly frustrating Laporta.
“Barcelona expresses gratitude to Xavi for his contributions as a coach, complementing his illustrious career as a player and captain of the team, and wishes him all the best in his future endeavors,” continued the statement. The club also noted that details about the new coaching staff will be announced in the coming days.
While Barcelona clinched the La Liga title last season, they failed to defend it this year. Their Champions League campaign ended in the quarter-finals against Paris Saint-Germain, they suffered a heavy defeat to Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup final, and they were eliminated by Athletic Bilbao in the Copa del Rey.