Xavi revealed that Barcelona had indeed planned a sensational reunion with the Argentine superstar following his 2022 FIFA World Cup triumph.

According to the former coach, talks between Messi and the club were actively underway in 2023, with both sides eager to make it happen.

The move promised to be an emotional homecoming for the club’s all-time leading scorer, who spent over two decades at Camp Nou and became the face of an era.

“I wanted Leo Messi to return more than anything… even today, I think he would help Barça to score goals and provide final passes. He is going to play in a World Cup again! Leo would succeed again at Camp Nou. It was his wish and mine back in 2023. But for a time I couldn’t communicate with him, and that was because of the people currently running the club… Laporta’s board,” Xavi said.

Despite mutual interest, Xavi explained that the reunion ultimately fell apart due to internal concerns. Barcelona president Joan Laporta reportedly opted not to complete the transfer, fearing that bringing Messi back could stir tensions or complicate matters during a delicate period of rebuilding for the club.

With Barcelona out of the picture, Messi instead embarked on a new chapter in the United States with Inter Miami CF, leaving fans to ponder what might have been had one of football’s greatest ever players returned to the club where he built his historic legacy.

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Barcelona president Joan Laporta has openly discussed the circumstances surrounding Xavi’s departure towards the end of the past season, revealing a disagreement over squad strength as a key factor.

Xavi, who initially decided to stay before being sacked, clashed with Laporta regarding the team’s capabilities, prompting the president to address the situation publicly.

Laporta has now done exactly that, telling the in-house network Barca One about the disagreement that led to Xavi’s departure.

“Xavi did a good job,” Laporta stressed. “He took over the team at a time of maximum difficulty.

“Last year he won La LIga and the Super Cup. This season, things have not gone well, to the point that Xavi said he would not continue. I accepted it at the end the season because Xavi is a Cule at heart and it was better not to change coaches in the middle of the season.

“Then he asked us to continue and I asked him if he believed in the team and he told me he did. What changed? He didn’t seem able to continue withstanding the pressure. There was a press conference in which he changed his discourse and a meeting with the sporting director in which he changed his requests. That made me think that the squad needed a fresh boost.

“We had the option of Hansi Flick, who seems capable of competing against anyone with this squad. That was decisive. I think we have finished in a very elegant way with Xavi. He has kept his word, and so have we. We have reached an agreement.”

Pushed for further details, Laporta continued: “Everything was very forced when we decided to continue. Xavi is a legend and his enthusiasm made us make the decision to ratify him. From the moment he makes those statements and he changes his requests substantially, the sports management could not see things clearly and I had the perception that I must make this decision. The board has the power to make these decisions and rectify them, as Xavi also did.”

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Xavi had announced in January his intention to step down at the end of the season. However, after a late-season resurgence in form, he reversed this decision. Despite the improved results, Barcelona made the surprising move to sack him.

During the period when it seemed certain that Xavi would depart, Barcelona was heavily linked with Hansi Flick. The club has now officially announced his arrival.

It's our moment.
Flick is here. pic.twitter.com/ysb35a6l35

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) May 29, 2024

Flick has been without a job since September 2023, following his dismissal as Germany’s head coach after a poor run leading up to Euro 2024. His tenure included Germany’s group stage exit at the 2022 FIFA World Cup and only 12 wins in 25 matches.

Before managing the German national team, Flick had a successful stint at Bayern Munich. From November 2019 to June 2021, he won two Bundesliga titles, a Champions League, and four other trophies.

His Bayern team was known for the ‘Flicka-Flacka‘ style, akin to Barcelona’s ‘tiki-taka’ philosophy, and famously defeated Barcelona 8-2 in the 2020 Champions League.

Flick’s appointment has been met with optimism by the Catalan press. However, Xavi offered a word of caution to his successor.

“They should know that they’ve got a difficult situation because Barca is a difficult club and there’s an adverse financial situation too – it won’t be easy at all,” Xavi told DAZN. “He will suffer. This is a very complicated place to be.”

As Flick steps into his new role, he inherits a team with high expectations and significant challenges, aiming to steer Barcelona back to its former glory.

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The Spaniard’s tenure as head coach of La Blaugrana ended just a month after it was announced he would remain in the position, having initially intended to step down at the end of the season.

Hansi Flick is expected to take over at Camp Nou next, with Sunday’s league encounter against Sevilla officially being Xavi’s final match in charge.

Speaking ahead of his final game as Barca manager, Xavi was asked about his future in management and reiterated his aspiration to return to Barcelona one day.

When asked whether he would like to come back to coach the club another time, Xavi said: “Yes, I would like a return, why not?

“Barcelona is the club of my life. I have enjoyed this experience and also suffered, of course. But I love being at this club and working for it. It’s been a tough last week, but I have my conscience very clear. I’m proud and happy.

“When we got here we knew it was a difficult time for the club and I think we can be proud of the work we have done.

“I’m grateful to the president and I haven’t had any problems with the leaders. I’m a club man and I’ve adapted to the circumstances. The president gave me his reasons and I have no choice but to accept his decision.

“I’m not closing the door on returning – I’m a professional, I’m a coach and it could happen. I didn’t imagine this goodbye, but I have no choice but to respect it.”

On November 6, 2021, Xavi took Ronald Koeman’s place as Barca’s manager. His agreement was set to end in 2025. The 44-year-old won the Spanish Super Cup and La Liga with Barcelona in the previous year.

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Xavi Hernandez, the Barcelona legend, has broken his silence since the Catalan club’s decision to dismiss him at the conclusion of the season.

Initially planning to step down at the end of the 2023-24 campaign, Xavi had a change of heart due to an improvement in results. However, exactly a month after this announcement, Barcelona has opted to part ways with the 44-year-old manager. Xavi is poised to oversee his final match as Barca’s coach when they face Sevilla on Sunday.

He wrote on Instagram: “Dear fans, my time on the Barça bench will end on Sunday. It’s never easy to leave the club of your life, but I do it very proudly, after two and a half years at the head of a dressing room that has been like a second family.

I want to thank the support and affection of the fans, who have always been by my side and have always shown me the same love as during my time as a footballer. From Sunday I will be one more culer (Barcelona supporter) in the stands, either now at the Olympic Stadium or in a few months at the Nou Camp.

Because before I am a player or a coach, I am a Barcelona fan and I only want the best for the club of my life, which will always have me at its disposal.

“I have worked with a group of fantastic players and with a spectacular staff. Thanks to all of them, we have been achieving the objectives set, culminating last year with a League and a Super Cup.

This season things didn’t go as we wanted, but we put our heads together and helped grow a new generation of young footballers from La Masia who inspire all of us Barcelona fans. Many thanks to all.

To the fans, the players, the staff, the club employees, the President, the Board of Directors, the sports directors, the media and everyone with whom I have shared the journey over these two and a half seasons. I wish the best to the club that I carry in my heart.

“Visca Barça.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Xavi Hernández (@xavi)

Earlier in May, Xavi reportedly incurred the displeasure of club president Joan Laporta when he addressed Barcelona’s financial challenges.

Consequently, former Bayern Munich manager Hansi Flick is poised to replace the former Spanish midfielder, with a pivotal, phone conversation between Flick and sporting director Deco allegedly sealing the decision.

Having spent 24 years as a player at Barcelona before joining Al Sadd in 2015, Xavi will now explore new managerial, possibly after a hiatus from the sport. This marks the conclusion of his two-and-a-half-year tenure at Barca.

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Barcelona manager Xavi has made a surprising decision to remain at the club beyond this summer, despite previously announcing his intention to leave in January.

Just three months ago, Xavi informed reporters of his plan to depart the club at the end of the season. However, since then, various influential figures within the team, including president Joan Laporta, have made efforts to persuade him to reconsider and fulfill his contract. It appears that their appeals have been successful, as multiple reports suggest that Xavi will indeed stay on as manager.

Despite his initial announcement of resignation, Xavi has consistently reiterated his desire to depart Catalonia, citing the need for change and the negative impact on his mental well-being as motivating factors.

However, the club reportedly refrained from initiating a search for a new manager, hoping that Xavi would ultimately decide to stay. Recent reports indicate that Xavi has become open to the idea of extending his tenure under certain conditions.

The Barca president asserted recently that he was keen on Xavi staying: “We will discuss this issue at the end of the season. [Xavi] is doing very well. He expressed himself in the sense in which he expressed himself, I understand that everything is open and everything is revisable. I understood that there have been circumstances that led him to do what he did. But at the end of the season, we will talk. There is time to talk about it.”

With the La Liga title seemingly out of reach for Barcelona, the Blaugrana will continue to compete for the remainder of the season. Their next fixture against Valencia on Monday provides them with another opportunity to showcase their abilities.

Despite Real Madrid’s dominance in the league, Barcelona fans can take solace in the prospect of Xavi leading the team once again in the Spanish top flight next season.

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Xavi expressed his belief that his Barcelona team “deserved” to emerge victorious against Real Madrid on Sunday, attributing their loss to poor referee decisions.

Despite leading twice in the game, Barcelona suffered a 3-2 defeat due to a last-minute goal from Madrid’s Jude Bellingham, who scored his third goal against Barca this season.

The outcome was particularly devastating for Barcelona, with Xavi pointing to two referee decisions that left him deeply frustrated. He criticized the decision to award a penalty for Madrid’s first equalizer and highlighted the controversy surrounding Lamine Yamal’s disallowed goal, which the referees deemed had not entirely crossed the goal line.

Notably, La Liga lacks the goal-line technology present in many top European leagues, relying instead on standard VAR checks with fewer camera angles.

Xavi’s frustration stemmed from what he perceived as unfair treatment from the officials, leaving him feeling aggrieved by the outcome.

“We have to be proud of how we played, especially in the second half,” Xavi said. “We controlled the game well and we deserved to win.

“We did a good job and we deserved the three points, but they escape us due to situations that we cannot control and a failure to stop a clear counter. We could have even recovered the ball in the last transition.

“We deserved more. We were good. We created chances. It’s the story of the first game which set the tone for the season.”

Xavi declined to call out the referees after the game but insisted there was clear evidence that Barca had been wronged.

“Everyone has seen it,” he stressed. “They can sanction me. The images are there.

“I can only analyse the game and we were better than Madrid. We lacked details, but this is part of the transition process we are in. We deserved to win.

“[Madrid] generated very little against us beyond the penalty. The second goal is a defensive error and the third is a transition that we have not stopped. It was a carbon copy of the first round match. If you add six [points] to Barca and subtract it from Madrid, the La Liga title is there.”

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Robert Lewandowski has expressed his intention to continue playing for Barcelona at Camp Nou until the end of his contract in 2026, according to Spanish media reports.

The seasoned striker made the decision to depart Bayern Munich in the summer of 2022 after enjoying a successful eight-year tenure with the Bavarian club, during which he amassed numerous trophies. He then signed a four-year contract with Barcelona, with the Catalan club agreeing to pay up to €50 million for the then-33-year-old’s services.

Lewandowski made an immediate impact at Barcelona, winning the Pichichi Trophy in his debut season by scoring the most goals in La Liga (23). However, the current season has presented challenges for both him and the team, as Barcelona has struggled to find consistency on the field.

Despite the team’s difficulties, Lewandowski has managed to score nine goals in La Liga and 14 goals in all competitions. Barcelona’s inconsistent form has led to Xavi announcing his intention to step down as manager, while the arrival of Vitor Roque has added competition for Lewandowski’s position. The young Brazilian has made an exciting start, netting a couple of goals in his first seven appearances.

Speculation has arisen regarding Lewandowski’s future at Barcelona, but in an interview with Spanish publication Sport, he emphasized his desire to continue playing at Camp Nou. However, due to ongoing renovations at the iconic stadium, it is unlikely to be ready for action until the 2025/26 season.

“It is one of the objectives, to play again at Camp Nou,” Lewandowski confirmed. “It’s a magical stadium, a magical field, and yes, of course, we have to wait ten months I think. In the new season, almost at the end of the year, we will be on the field and we will be able to play with all our people and with that atmosphere.

“I feel very good in the city, my family too, very happy and happy. I am happy in the club, but also in everything else.”

Lewandowski added that he understood Xavi’s decision to walk away from the club he regarded as a legend at, less than nine months after delivering Barca’s 27th La Liga title.

“If you are a player or coach of Barcelona you have a lot of pressure, it is normal,” he said. “The moment is very difficult, not only for the players, but also for Xavi. I understand what this means for him: he is from Barca, a former player, now a coach… From an emotional point of view it is very difficult for Xavi and I understand him perfectly. 

“Not just for him, but for his family too. Now the best thing is that we focus on this season because we can still win with Xavi. Not just matches. I’m one hundred percent focused on it. Not in what will happen at the end of the season. Now it’s not time to talk about this, the priority is this season.”

The 35-year-old also refused to rule Barcelona out of the title race, concluding: “Lots of things can happen. Now we have less than six points on Girona and eight on Madrid, but we have many games. Real Madrid too and can lose many points, but the first thing is for us to play much better and win every game.

“If this happens, we will have a chance in the League. We also have the Champions League, which is very important for the team and for the future. I think anything is still possible this season.”

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Xavi claims he was made to “feel worthless every day” and made the decision to leave Barcelona at the beginning of the season.

The Spanish manager made his intention to leave the team official following the Blaugrana’s 5-3 setback to Villarreal in their La Liga matchup last week. Since his return to the team in November 2021, Xavi has reportedly been the subject of intense media attention, which he has now fully acknowledged, leaving him frustrated and anxious.

Xavi opened up on his struggles at Barca ahead of their clash with Osasuna, saying: “It is a mental and football issue. Failures make the team weaker and the players lower their level. The football level drops due to the mental level. That’s why the announcement of my departure. Furthermore, I believe that our work is not valued enough. I had already decided on it a long time ago, since the beginning of the season.”

When Xavi was asked if Wednesday’s match would be more emotional, he added, “With even more responsibility, not more emotional. We have a lot at stake, we have a stake in doing the best we can in the League and competing in the Champions League. I continue with the utmost enthusiasm, I am very well. I try to express what I feel. They make you feel worthless every day. It has happened to all coaches. Speaking with Pep he told me, Valverde too. I saw Luis Enrique suffer. I think we have a problem regarding the demands of this position. It is not enjoyable and it seems like you are risking your life every moment. That doesn’t happen in any club. That’s why I say it’s cruel.”

For an extended period, Barcelona has been treading carefully when it comes to Financial Fair Play (FFP) standards. As a result, they have had difficulty making any high-profile additions throughout the winter, but Xavi has insisted that the club’s dire financial situation has no bearing on his choice.

“The wear and tear of being a coach has nothing to do with the economic situation,” he added. “I am a club man and I will be until the end. The circumstances, unfortunately, have been very negative. And a very good job has been done from within. I am proud, I have a very clear conscience. I have always prioritised the club and the footballers ahead of myself. Therefore, the affection that is shown to me. I have never complained, I have adapted to the circumstances.”

Barcelona still has a chance to win both the La Liga title and the European title. With a game remaining, they are presently 11 points behind leaders Girona in fourth place in the Spanish first division. Later in February, they will play Napoli in the round of 16 of the Champions League.

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Vinicius Junior’s first-half hat-trick powered Real Madrid to a dominant victory, exposing Barcelona’s defensive vulnerabilities. Xavi, who had expressed confidence before the match, acknowledged the disappointing outcome and admitted that things could hardly have gone worse.

“We had a lot of hope and enthusiasm but we got the worst game of all,” Xavi said. “We started very badly, we were able to grab one back but the goal for 3-1 made things difficult for us.

“Madrid did a lot of damage to us on the counter, we have not stopped those counters, those transitions, and now we have to live the bitter side of football. I apologise to the fans because it has been difficult for us to compete, but I have experienced many defeats in my career and in the end we recovered. Barca will return. It will return.”

Pressed on the defeat in his press conference, Xavi added, “It’s a tough defeat, we’re angry. We have played one of the worst games of the season. We have to improve a lot to win titles. We must apologise to the Barcelona fans. This is not the image of Barca in a final and even less so against Madrid.”

Xavi insisted Barcelona learn from the crushing defeat so as to ensure they never experience such a loss again.

“May it help us to compete better,” he said. “There will be hard days now with plenty of criticism, and we have to accept it, we have not been at the level that the final required.

“I am disappointed and angry, both as a cule and a coach. It was not the image of a final. It’s a tough loss but there’s a lot of the season left. We have to compete for three titles. It’s a hard blow for the club and the players but we will return.”

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The Portuguese forward, who joined Barcelona on loan from Atletico late in the summer window, scored the decisive goal in Sunday’s game against his primary employers and openly celebrated the victory.

Explaining his celebrations, Felix stated that he was overcome with emotion due to the challenges he faced during the summer transfer window. His admission sheds light on the personal and emotional aspects that players experience amid transfer negotiations and moves between clubs.

“It was a spontaneous celebration,” he told Movistar. “In the end, you get into the heat of the game.

“It was like a relief for everything that I experienced last summer. Only the people close to me know how it was. This has been a relief for them. That is for me and for my teammates at Barca who have welcomed me.”

The head coach of Barcelona, Xavi, said that he had advised Felix to maintain composure before the match and expressed his satisfaction with the 24-year-old’s handling of the situation.

“Joao Felix made the difference once again,” the boss said. “He understands each other well with [Joao] Cancelo in that side. I’m happy to see him well.

“You have to ask Joao Felix about his celebration. It’s what he has inside of him. That’s where the reaction comes from. Joao was eager to show his football, and that’s how he reacts. It’s human nature.

“I told Joao Felix to stay calm. He had to use the circumstances as an extra motivation for this game. He played very well.”

Finally, when pressed on pursuing a permanent deal to sign Felix next summer, Xavi added: “Signing Joao Felix permanently depends on the club’s sporting area. Personally, I am very happy with him. He’s a great kid for the dressing room, does not create problems, loves to have fun, and I’m happy to have him in my team.”

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Gavi, a pivotal player for both club and country, sustained a season-ending injury during the November international break.

Xavi, addressing the press, expressed the significance of Gavi’s loss and described it as a tragedy, emphasizing the irreplaceable qualities of the 19-year-old. Despite criticism directed at De la Fuente for playing Gavi during the international break, Xavi refrained from blaming the Spain boss, attributing the injury to the strenuous football calendar.

Xavi highlighted the demanding schedule as the primary reason for Gavi’s injury, emphasizing the challenges posed by the frequency of matches and playing time. He stated that there was no controversy with De la Fuente, emphasizing the need to address the broader issue of the football schedule.

While Xavi confirmed sending routine fitness updates to the Spanish Federation, he clarified that he did not have a decisive role in the selection process, acknowledging that each federation makes its own decisions.

Drawing from his personal experience of a similar injury in December 2005, Xavi disclosed that he had advised Gavi on the importance of recovery and professionalism. He emphasized the need for Gavi to prioritize recovery and not compromise on it, drawing on his own lessons from the past.

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