Barcelona manager Xavi Hernández has announced that he will leave the club at the end of the season following Saturday's 5-3 loss to Villarreal at the Olympic Stadium.
The pressure on Xavi had increased throughout January after a series of disappointing results, including a 4-1 defeat to Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup final and Wednesday's 4-2 defeat against Athletic Club in the quarterfinals of the Copa del Rey.
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Xavi, who recently signed a new contract until 2025, says he made the decision before the Villarreal game, but now is the right time to make it official.
“I would like to announce that I will not continue being Barça coach beyond the end of this season,” Xavi confirmed at a press conference.
“I had decided to leave a few days ago, but I think now is the right time to announce it to help reduce the tension that exists in the club. A change of dynamic is necessary.
“So, as a Barça fan, thinking about the best of the club and the players, I think it is the right decision. Nobody is bigger than the club and I am a fan above all. I love this club.”
The defeat to Villarreal left Barça 10 points behind LaLiga leaders Real Madrid following their elimination from the Super Cup and Copa del Rey this month.
Saturday's defeat marked the first time Barça had conceded five goals in a LaLiga home game since January 1963, when they were beaten 5-1 by Real Madrid. It is also the first time since 1951 that they have conceded four or more goals in consecutive games.
They remain in the Champions League, Napoli face two legs in the last 16 next month, and Xavi still has hopes of coming out on top.
“I will give even more in these remaining months,” he added. “I still think that we can change things and have a good season. I think we can fight for LaLiga, even being 10 points behind.
“I think this announcement can free the players and help reduce tension at the club. They don't deserve any of that, they are a great group. In a way, it has freed me too.
“I don't want to be a problem for the club, I want to be a solution. I was a solution two years ago when they appointed me, but now, thinking with my heart and thinking about the club, the best thing is to leave in the summer.”
Xavi insists that his decision is “irreversible” regardless of the success that Barça may have between now and the end of the campaign.
“The feeling of being Barça coach can be unpleasant,” he continued. “It is cruel, there is a lack of respect towards you, your work is not valued… It is terrible for your mental health and your morale.
“I'm a positive person, but there comes a point where you think there's no point in continuing. That's right.”
He added that he has not yet communicated the decision to his players because they were “devastated” in the locker room after the Villarreal game, but that he will speak to them at training on Sunday.
Xavi, 44, replaced Ronald Koeman in 2021 and took Barça from ninth place in LaLiga to second place and qualification for the Champions League.
Last season, his first full campaign at the helm of the club, he led the blaugrana to their first LaLiga title since 2019 and also won the Spanish Super Cup.
However, the club failed to advance beyond the group stage of the Champions League for the second consecutive season. This season they have managed to reach the knockout rounds of Europe's top competition, but results elsewhere have condemned the coach.
The defeats against Madrid and Girona before Christmas made them lose pace in LaLiga, and the January performances against Madrid, Athletic and Villarreal served to increase doubts even more.
Xavi, who coached Qatari side Al Sadd before returning to Barca, where he spent more than 20 years as a player, suggested he will not seek an immediate return to management when he leaves office.
“I don't know what the future holds because this job has meant I spend less time with my family,” he said. “They suffer and I cannot be so selfish throughout my career. I will spend some time at home and rest, I need to be with my children more.”
