Xavi’s future at FC Barcelona is currently uncertain. The Catalan coach has made a new promise regarding his future with the Blaugranas.
The bitter defeat of FC Barcelona in the Spanish Supercup final has left its mark. Not only did the Catalans fail to secure a title, but they also suffered a heavy 4-1 loss to their eternal rival, Real Madrid.
In Sunday night’s Spanish Supercup final, Real Madrid clearly dominated FC Barcelona, securing victory with a 4-1 scoreline. In this clash, the Merengues were superior in all aspects of the game, further accentuating the crisis already looming over FC Barcelona before this encounter.
Xavi Weakened by the Spanish Supercup
One year after winning the Spanish Supercup against Real Madrid (3-1), FC Barcelona had the opportunity to confirm its favorite status for the title this Sunday. The Catalans faced an in-form Madrid side, undefeated for nearly four months. Unfortunately, the match did not unfold as expected, and despite hopes for a more balanced game, Xavi’s team was shaken from the start, succumbing to opponent attacks and suffering a logical 4-1 defeat.
Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham, the main threats from Madrid, quickly made an impact. In the 7th minute, the Brazilian opened the scoring with an assist from the Englishman, exploiting a faltering Barcelona defense. Three minutes later, taking advantage of a questionable offside, Vinicius scored again with a pass from Rodrygo. Although Barça created some chances, notably with Pedri and Gundogan, the comeback was short-lived. Lewandowski briefly revived hope with a superb volley, but Vinicius, in excellent form, completed his hat-trick five minutes later with a penalty, following a foul by Araujo in the box.
In the second half, hopes of a Barcelona comeback faded. Despite likely receiving a motivating speech from Xavi at halftime, the team failed to turn the tide. The Catalans conceded a fourth goal quickly, with Vinicius continuing to bewilder the defense. Araujo was sent off for a foul on the Brazilian, illustrating his difficulty in containing the Madrid forward. Vinicius also played a role in Rodrygo’s goal, amplified by an unfortunate deflection from Koundé.
Xavi’s Strong New Promise
The defeat puts Xavi in a delicate situation. Although once shielded by his status as a club legend, the former Barcelona midfielder is now the first to be criticized when it comes to identifying the team’s problems. After Sunday’s match, many voices again called for his resignation or dismissal, especially on social media, where the Barcelona fanbase believes he has lost control of his team and is not the right man for the job.
However, according to various Spanish media outlets, such as Sport, FC Barcelona’s leadership has full confidence in Xavi. Thus, no dismissal is planned, and the coach enjoys the trust of the executive committee, especially from President Joan Laporta. If a dismissal were to occur, it would not happen before the end of the season, at which point the club will evaluate the situation.
One of the criteria set to keep Xavi in his position is winning a title at the end of the season, likely in the Champions League and/or Copa del Rey. In case of failure, according to AS, Xavi would make the decision to resign himself rather than wait to be fired. This would allow him to waive the last year of his contract and the associated compensation, thus helping to alleviate the club’s financial difficulties, persistent for several seasons. Xavi is aware of the financial challenges facing his club.
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