Xavi Out, Flick In - Another Bizarre Barcelona Decision
Barcelona has been Europe's most unpredictable major club over the past seven years. This club was in a financial situation so dire and mismanaged that they had to let the greatest player of all time in Lionel Messi leave unceremoniously. Now, in a similarly baffling sequence of events, the Catalan giants have dismissed Xavi Hernandez. Xavi was one of the greatest midfielders of all time in his playing days, being one of the key pieces of Barca’s golden era in the late 2000s and early 2010s.
The CliffsNotes of the situation are as follows; after winning La Liga Santander a year ago, Xavi announced in January 2024 that he would leave Barcelona at the end of the season, feeling burned out. Two months later he announced that he had changed his mind and would continue to manage Barca, to the delight of the fans. Then Xavi was sacked. This move made absolutely no sense in the minds of soccer, and Barca fans.
To better understand the situation in Barcelona, familiarize yourself with Joan Laporta. On his second stint as club president, Laporta has shown a genuine love for Barca, but perhaps one that burns too strong. At the press conference, he cried tears of joy when Xavi announced he would stay. However, his tenures have been marked by impulsive spending that helped put Barca in the financial hole they can’t seem to escape.
Xavi represented a kind of savior from the purgatory Barca found themselves in. His managerial term was in no way a disappointment, bringing a title back to Barca in 2023. However, Xavi has been vocal about Barca’s financial issues. The more transparent Xavi was to the press about these issues, the more frustrated Laporta became. Reports say that Laporta was never fully convinced of Xavi’s managerial ability, and Barca’s trophyless season only reaffirmed those beliefs in Laporta’s mind, leading to Xavi’s sacking.
In steps Hansi Flick. Laporta had been fond of Flick since Barca sacked Ronald Koeman in 2021. He was the primary candidate for the job once Xavi announced he would not return to the club in January. He brings a trophy-winning pedigree with him, as his Bayern Munich side won the treble in 2020. He followed that act up with a disappointing spell coaching the German National Team, but Laporta remained a fan, nonetheless.
The bottom line is that due to mismanagement at the top level of the club and not enough talent in the squad to make up for it, the Barcelona job is a poisoned chalice at this moment in time. The roster is still strong but unbalanced. Young players like Lamine Yamal, Gavi, and Pedri have had to play massive amounts of games for their age. Even for a club known for developing young talent, injuries have been piling up on Gavi and Pedri in particular. Barca’s never-ending financial desperation has made it difficult to compete with Real Madrid, who appear to be entering a new golden era, winning the Champions League and bringing in Kylian Mbappe. Flick has his work cut out for him, but it is still Barcelona.
