How infamous Xavi Hernandez press conference fits into puzzle of Barcelona sacking

Barcelona could scarcely have timed their sacking of Xavi Hernandez last Friday better in the interests of narrative, given it was a month to the day on from when his job security was confirmed. It made it no less confusing for fans though, trying to work out how in the space of a few weeks such a dramatic turn of events could take place, without much really changing in Barcelona’s situation.

It had emerged that President Joan Laporta was furious with his statements to the press that ‘it would be difficult to compete’ with the resources that Barcelona had, ahead of a game against Almeria. From there until Xavi’s sacking was less than 10 days, where it had been reported by multiple sources that Laporta had flown into a rage and decided to sack Xavi.

However the reality is that it was the straw that broke the camel’s back rather than the fuse that set off the dynamite. Matteo Moretto has revealed that it was just the latest edition of Xavi’s words attracting the ire of the sporting commission, including Sporting Director Deco, and Laporta. These instances occurred amidst ‘real distance’ between Xavi and Deco on transfer plans.

The former manager has always maintained publicly that there are no issues between the two, despite it being generally said that their relation was beginning to deteriorate by the end of Deco’s playing days in Barcelona, back in 2008. It appears he did not warm to Xavi, and vice versa, in the intervening time, and ultimately, predictions that it could be the cause of conflict last summer ended up playing out.