Put Xavi out of his misery! Barcelona are better off letting exhausted club legend leave now in a bid to boost morale ahead of new manager’s arrival
The Blaugrana boss should have the chance to walk before the club’s season spirals into further despair
In the 45th minute of Barcelona’s La Liga clash with Granada on Sunday, Xavi stood up, turned around, shouted in anger, and slapped his seat in the dugout. He had good reason for his frustrations; Barca had conceded a cheap goal once again, allowing a relegation favourite to saunter down the right wing, feed the ball into the middle, and finish past the reigning La Liga MVP, Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
It all ended in a 3-3 draw, yet another forgettable night in a miserable season for the defending Spanish champions. Barca have staggered through this campaign, gradually falling out of the title race as Real Madrid kept rolling. The Champions League doesn’t offer much hope, either – they face a tricky tie with Napoli in the last 16, and even if they win, it’s difficult to see a path where Barca end up lifting the European Cup at Wembley.
There could be more turmoil to follow. Xavi has already handed in his resignation, and will leave the club at the end of the season. Injuries have added up, and the surge of noisy neighbours Girona up the table has made Barca look even worse. As has become a theme over the last half-decade, it’s all a bit messy in Barcelona.
In terms of on-field mess, Xavi is at the centre of it. He is a manager who brought immense success last season, but now a victim of the expectations of the job. Barca haven’t been terrible this year; they just haven’t built on the glory of last campaign. Regression, of any kind, is not to be tolerated.
It has taken a toll on the manager – chairs punched and all. He has spoken of the damage the job has done to his mental health, and the side effects of the crushing pressure of being the face of one of the world’s biggest brands. Club president Joan Laporta, too, is visibly losing his patience.
As a result, Xavi would be better off leaving now, rather than waiting until the summer. Barca are stuck, and so is the man charged with leading them. This is now a human question, and letting Xavi walk immediately is the only answer.
