Following his final game as Barcelona coach, a 2-1 victory over Sevilla on Sunday, Xavi Hernández expressed that he feels his contributions have been underappreciated and warned that his successor will face significant challenges.
Barcelona secured the win with goals from Robert Lewandowski and Fermín López, while Youssef En-Nesyri scored for Sevilla.
This match concluded Barça’s LaLiga season with a three-point finish, coming just two days after the club announced Xavi’s dismissal at the season’s end.
“I don’t think the work we have done has been sufficiently valued considering the adverse situation we came into,” Xavi told DAZN after beating Sevilla.
“Barça were ninth in the table when we arrived at the end of 2021. We finished second. Then, in the first full season [in charge], we won two trophies [LaLiga and the Spanish Supercopa].
“This year has not been at the level required, but it’s come down to details in several key games. It’s a shame. I am sad, but this is the job of a coach.”
ESPN has revealed that Hansi Flick will replace Xavi, with the Germán coach’s appointment expected to be announced in the coming days.
“They have to know it is a difficult situation, because Barcelona is a difficult club, but also because of the adverse financial situation, above all [LaLiga’s] financial fair play rules,” Xavi said when asked if he had any advice for his successor.
“It won’t be easy at all. They will suffer and they will need patience because it’s a really difficult job. The only thing that can save them is winning, whether they have been part of the club or not [previously].
“I have been looked at through a magnifying glass and a certain level of expectations were generated, because I was part of Barça’s best-ever era, which has played against me.”
Xavi initially announced in January that he would step down this summer, but he changed his mind in April. However, he was dismissed in a meeting with club president Joan Laporta on Friday.
Despite his earlier doubts, Xavi maintained that he wanted to stay in the role and declined to disclose the reasons for his dismissal.
“It’s not for me to explain the motives, the president has to do that,” Xavi continued. “I just have to accept and respect them. The decision is made and there is no looking back. The club is above any person. I wanted to stay on.
I get [the decision], I respect it, but it is a shame. The feelings are contradictory because the work has been positive despite not winning trophies this season. I thought we were on a good path and I still think that.
“But this is football, decisions have to be made. I am happy, proud and satisfied with what we have done: 2.5 years and two trophies in the adverse, difficult situation the club is in, that’s the reality.
“I have not been able to work with calm. We asked for stability one month ago when we decided to stay. We thought by staying on we had achieved that and we were hungry to work hard, but this is the life of a manager.”
Xavi said he is “open” to anything in the future regarding the next step in his career, but that in the short-term he needs to “rest and be with my family.”
The former midfielder, who played over 700 matches for Barcelona, took over from Ronald Koeman in 2021, guiding the team from ninth place to second in his first season. He secured Barcelona’s first LaLiga title since 2019 last season.
However, this year the team did not maintain that momentum, finishing second in the league and ending the season without any trophies after being eliminated in the quarterfinals of both the Champions League and the Copa del Rey.