Barcelona manaager Xavi Hernandez was the protagonist of one of the most up and down six-month spells in the club’s history last season, announcing his resignation in January, declaring he would be staying in April, and then being sacked 21 days later. The wounds remain fresh, and Xavi has disappeared from the public eye since.
Szczęsny will sign his contract on Wednesday, and that's also the day that he will be announced as a new Barcelona player. @wlodar85
— barcacentre (@barcacentre) October 1, 2024
Xavi had initially resigned in the aftermath of a 5-3 home defeat to Villarreal, which he announced to the media after the match. It came as a shock to the public, despite Xavi saying he had made up his mind some time ago. Footage has been released by Barca One (as published by El Chiringuito) of Xavi’s speech to the players in the dressing room the following morning, the first time he saw the squad after the announcement.
“Good morning, good morning. Look… I know it’s not an easy day, first because of the s*** result yesterday. We’ll analyse and see what happened to us. I feel bad for not having told you anything before the press conference I did after the game,” Xavi explained, having announced his departure at the end of the season without telling the players.
El Chiringuito have released footage of #Xavi Hernandez telling the #FCBarcelona squad he is resigning in January:
"I think that I myself am starting to be the problem."pic.twitter.com/kpquYVdqBk
— Football España (@footballespana_) October 1, 2024
“I’ve had it decided for a long time. It’s not a loss of head from yesterday’s defeat. I’ve had the decision made for quite some time. I think that I myself am starting to be the problem.”
Asking the squad if they wanted to say anything, captain at the time Sergi Roberto intervened to say that ‘We have four months to give you and the staff our thanks’. For a brief period, with the pressure lifted, things turned around for the Blaugrana, but defeats to Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League and ultimately Girona turned the tide again, and resulted in his sacking.
