As we head into the last five games of this season of La Liga, it seems like this season’s closing stages will be a duller affair than usual. The league title is practically decided. Atletico’s victory over Athletic might have settled the battle for Champions League spots, and I can’t mention that game without mentioning yet another incident of racist abuse. The battle to avoid relegation also looks increasingly free of drama, with Almeria formally relegated this weekend, Granada soon to follow, and Cadiz looking likely to go down. If we consider the declines of Sevilla and Real Betis too, it’s been a generally awful season for the region of Andalusia.
With the league in this quiet state, it shouldn’t surprise us that FC Barcelona’s endless drama became one of the week’s talking points. After months of the Barca board attempting to persuade Xavi Hernandez to continue as coach and Xavi insisting he would leave, a change of heart occurred last week. Xavi decided to remain in the coaching seat for next season and finish his current contract, which expires at the end of the 2024-25 season.
The ensuing press conference was surreal, filled with hugs, tears, and photo ops. Perhaps Laporta believed that the fandom needed some good news after a rough week with defeats to PSG and Real Madrid that ended any chances at silverware.
What’s concerning about this situation is not the result. There were several reasons for the Blaugrana to continue employing Xavi. In their current financial and squad situation, finding a coach who could significantly improve Xavi was complicated. Despite his unconventional…(?) communication approach, Xavi still has the dressing room on his side. A dressing room that, by the way, contains several young players from La Masia who have received plenty of trust and opportunities from Xavi.
That is the biggest progress the club has achieved under Xavi. This sport belongs to the players, and player talent is the most important element to achieving success as a club. Xavi has continuously allowed the excellent talent from Barca’s academy to participate and impact the first team.
What’s concerning about the Xavi decision is how it was reached. On one hand, Laporta and Xavi said earlier in the season that if there were no titles this year, there would be consequences. During another press conference, however, Xavi said the team was under construction. These statements are not compatible with each other. And now, when no titles have been won this year, Laporta did not follow through with his promised consequences.
This is not the process of a seriously run club with a clear vision. This uncertainty is why it’s hard to label so much of this Xavi-Laporta project as ‘progress’ for the club. Despite last season’s league title and all these academy promotions, it still doesn’t feel like the club is building towards something sustainable.
Xavi is a figure I find fascinating to analyse and work out what’s going on inside his head. For all the jokes and memes about him, he is not a bad coach. His plans for specific games often work well, and his in-game management is improving. However, while these micro-adjustments are working, these frequent changes to adapt to opponents make it harder for his team to settle down on a stable tactical identity. Barcelona’s identity as a club since Cruyff has revolved around building systems that reliably get their teams to be more than the sum of their parts. Xavi is struggling to achieve this.
Even though his career as a player would lead us to believe that he’s the kind of coach who can build these systems—the way Pep Guardiola, Luis Enrique, or Mikel Arteta do—reality has shown the opposite. Luis Enrique said it to provoke his opponent, but he did have a point when he said his teams are closer to Barça’s style than Xavi’s.
In a recent video, The Athletic’s Jon Mackenzie summarised the situation well: Xavi seems to understand the system as a player but not as a coach. The way Xavi coaches and adapts to each opponent reminds us more of Zinedine Zidane or Carlo Ancelotti than Pep or Luis Enrique. The way Xavi’s team won the league last season reminds us more of Real Madrid or Atletico than of the traditional Barca method.
Of course, Xavi’s approach is not a bad thing per se. After all, Zidane and Ancelotti have achieved tremendous success as coaches with this approach. However, what he does is countercultural in Barcelona. So the question arises: is Xavi’s approach what Barca need right now? Can the club get back on track next year without that well-defined system, adapting to every opponent?
And I ask myself even more often: Is Xavi even aware of all this? Does he see himself as an Ancelotti or as a Pep? Both approaches to the game are entirely valid and capable of success. However, to succeed with either approach, every part of the club (coaching staff, players, front office) must be aligned. They must agree to the same approach and row in the same direction – be it Gabarra or Gondola. And right now, I don’t even know if Xavi is aligned with himself.
bocbeoptz
1
ago
buabdino
1
the writter is just speaking his mind. I think he is not a coach. can you compare any of the players available now with what Pep had at Barca and what he has now at City? The materials you have determines what you can produce. Let's be frank, if you have Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, Busket at your disposal, with Dani Alves,. do u expect any team to boss possession over this team. how many of these players do Xavi has now.? Xavi is 2nd in Laliga with these young guys n u think he has done nothing.
vodbmntz
1
Xavi is quite at home with himself. he understands the kind of football he wants to play and he knows the personnel he needs. the writer should have been concerned about the requirements of Xavi who has proved that he is quite capable. the unpredictable Barca of today is better than the Barca of the immediate past. that Barca had great players who could build up plays effectively based on their individual abilities but coaching crailties denied us of accolades. today, we need to be clear with ourselves that the form of some players has not matched expectations as a result recurring injuries. this has slowed down play and made it rather uncoordinated. Pedro, Gavin and Frank DJ have had erratic moments. Xavi has endured this and has performed well. he was not given the resources needed as he has had to improvise. Barca will be great under Xavi.
Toeklmpy
0
xavi best Coach in d world
fekbstyz
0
Xavi should just stick to traditional Tiki Taka , they’re passing a lot but it’s not fast enough, tiki taka back in the day was also fast passing, players already know where to pass before they received the ball. But now a days Players have the ball and still doesn’t know where to pass to , the build up of Barcelona attack the past 6 -7 years is REALLLYY SLOW and doubtful, and Xavi is trying too much to play trough Flanks instead of the traditional Tiki Taka ….. where the pass know where to pass the ball before receiving it ….
Where they know where to pass even before getting the ball **
fekbstyz
2
Xavi should just stick to traditional Tiki Taka , they’re passing a lot but it’s not fast enough, tiki taka back in the day was also fast passing, players already know where to pass before they received the ball. But now a days Players have the ball and still doesn’t know where to pass to , the build up of Barcelona attack the past 6 -7 years is REALLLYY SLOW and doubtful, and Xavi is trying too much to play trough Flanks instead of the traditional Tiki Taka ….. where the pass know where to pass the ball before receiving it ….
LSTONE
0
🤣🤣 please leave Xavi alone ! he tried his best to promote academy players! maybe he need more time. the only thing I reproach him for now is crying baby spirit 😢, complaining like 🤷
zebedeezebz
0
times and situations change. For Barca they have to accept what Xavi is doing
Zambkmtz
0
By the time Xavi and Laporta are through in dealing with Barca, The fans might as well be begging Bartomu and Koman to come back. Bartomu did bad by giving out huge pay package to players but he still understands football business than Laporta. Koman on his own side would have done better if he had the kind of squad Xavi has now, Koman squad was week but yet they were still playing Beautiful and attacking game, Yes they were losing but they were entertaining. Xavi Barca wins match with boring play, Not to off when they lose playing like Segunda Division 2 teams
You don’t know nothing about football, so koman had messi too in his squad, busi, alba, even fest he signed for us… so he even couldn’t finish in send. Think if Xavi had Messi this year , it will be finish as a champion in laliga and we could far dortmund in semi final so please respect Xavi 🙏
Tawklmorsz
0
By the time Xavi and Laporta are through in dealing with Barca, The fans might as well be begging Bartomu and Koman to come back. Bartomu did bad by giving out huge pay package to players but he still understands football business than Laporta. Koman on his own side would have done better if he had the kind of squad Xavi has now, Koman squad was week but yet they were still playing Beautiful and attacking game, Yes they were losing but they were entertaining. Xavi Barca wins match with boring play, Not to off when they lose playing like Segunda Division 2 teams
koeman football was poor, players didn't know what to do, no sense of attack or anything, we just rely on individual talents, xavi has the plan but the players are just poor at executing.
cunbinpsu
1
By the time Xavi and Laporta are through in dealing with Barca, The fans might as well be begging Bartomu and Koman to come back. Bartomu did bad by giving out huge pay package to players but he still understands football business than Laporta. Koman on his own side would have done better if he had the kind of squad Xavi has now, Koman squad was week but yet they were still playing Beautiful and attacking game, Yes they were losing but they were entertaining. Xavi Barca wins match with boring play, Not to off when they lose playing like Segunda Division 2 teams