Barcelona Sporting Director Deco stitches up manager Xavi Hernandez on camera

If they are not in one, Barcelona are crisis-adjacent currently, after a fourth defeat in nine matches coupled with poor play has left Xavi Hernandez under severe pressure. Sporting Director Deco did not help matters on Tuesday night by contradicting him on television ahead of the game.

After Barcelona made a last-minute change to their squad before their defeat to Royal Antwerp, Xavi had told the press it was  a decision that was agreed between himself, President Joan Laporta and Deco. Yet shortly before the match, Deco told the press this was not the case.

“The call-ups are a matter for the coach. We did not come to a consensus on anything.”

“There was a change of plans regarding travel and we have decided that everyone should travel. It is an issue that was discussed for management reasons,” explained Deco to Movistar+.

This is the second time in as many games. Following defeat to Girona, Xavi had claimed that it was a good game, while Deco disagreed. After the match, Xavi would double down again on his initial statements, that Deco and Laporta had influenced the decision.

“The squad was agreed upon with Deco and the president, we are in constant communication. The last decision is mine. I decide the list, I am the coach. You generate controversy where there is none. It makes no sense,” Xavi told Marca.

In spite of Xavi’s statements, it is certainly worthy of comment, given the current environment, even if there is an element of it being a storm in a teacup. From the outside looking in, it is confusing that Deco would choose to be so contradictory in his tone, even if that were the case. Even more so given the pressure on Xavi, Deco is sufficiently conscious of the way the media work around Barcelona to know that it would be picked up on.