Xavi says his job at Barcelona is “unfinished” after it was confirmed he would remain as head coach after his initial decision to leave the club was reversed.
It was confirmed on Wednesday that the 44-year-old would remain Barca’s head coach following discussions with sporting director Deco, who then accompanied Xavi to an emergency meeting with Joan Laporta at the residence personal of the club president.
Laporta announced the decision during a press conference on Thursday afternoon.
Xavi said: “I think it’s an unfinished project. We must continue to work on it and I have the strength to do it. I think it’s the best decision for the club.
“I am a big Barça fan. I have a high level of trust with the president and the board of directors. Player support has also been essential. I want to thank them for their love and support.
He added: “A lot of people, including my players, have made me understand that this is not over.”
Laporta said it was “great news” that Xavi is staying, adding that “stability is one of the keys to success.”
He added: “We had a conversation last night where he told me how excited he still was about the project, how confident he remained in the team and the ambition he had to continue to develop this project.
“I also think that stability is fundamental for any sporting project and that is what we want to offer.”
In January, Xavi declared his intention to step down following a disappointing 5-3 defeat to Villarreal at home. Despite later speculation suggesting otherwise, he has consistently rejected any idea of extending his term.
His announcement comes amid a remarkable 13-match unbeaten streak in all competitions. This impressive form has propelled Barcelona to secure a place in the Champions League quarter-finals and move up to second place in La Liga, behind league leaders Real Madrid by eight points.
However, their Champions League run was cut short by Paris Saint-Germain, who overturned Barcelona’s first-leg advantage with a decisive 4-1 victory at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys.
Five days later, Xavi’s side suffered another setback, losing 3-2 to their main rivals Real in the Clasico. The defeat left Barca 11 points behind Real with just six matches remaining in the season.
Xavi took on the role of Barca head coach in November 2021, succeeding Ronald Koeman on a permanent basis. His first full season at the helm saw his side win the La Liga title, marking a promising start to his tenure.
However, Xavi has faced challenges in European competitions, seeing Barca exit the Champions League group stage in consecutive seasons. Additionally, the team struggled in the Europa League, losing in the quarterfinals to Frankfurt in 2022 and the round of 16 to Manchester United the following year.
Despite the setbacks, this season’s European campaign demonstrated improvement, highlighted by victories over Napoli in the round of 16 after initial group stage defeats to Shakhtar Donetsk and Royal Antwerp. However, their journey was stopped by PSG in the next round.
In September 2023, Xavi committed to Barcelona for an extended period, signing a new contract until 2025, with the possibility of a further year.
Barca, meanwhile, are set to go this season without a trophy after exiting the Copa del Rey in the quarter-finals to eventual winners Athletic Bilbao in January, while losing the Spanish Super Cup final to Real the same month.
They will next be in action on Monday in La Liga against Valencia.
GO FURTHER
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(LLUIS GENE/AFP via Getty Images)