Laporta on sacking Xavi: He wanted to continue coaching at the time, but I had to make a difficult decision

On May 24, 2024, Barcelona officially announced the dismissal of coach Xavi. At that time, the Red and Blue Legion were in huge turmoil. In an interview with Esport3, Barcelona president Joan Laporta reflected on the incident.

Laporta said: "Xavi himself announced his departure from the team, saying he would leave at the end of the season. Then he asked to come to my house to explain that he actually wanted to continue coaching and felt the need to do so. I only asked him one question: 'Xavi, do you believe in this team?' He replied: 'I'm 100 percent convinced and I'm going to make these players champions. '"

"A week later I heard him say in a press conference that it would take two years for him and the team to be competitive and I thought: 'What's going on? ' He later discussed with Deco the replacement of several first-team players. Possibility. You know I have a lot of respect for Xavi, and his words have deeply affected me."

"We have had to make difficult decisions before, like Messi, Alba, Busquets, Pique, and even Xavi and Koeman. But in Barcelona, the institution always comes first, it is above the players, the president and the coach."