FC Barcelona head coach Xavi Hernandez met his squad on Sunday for the first time since announcing his departure from the club and the Spaniard almost broke down in tears, reported Diario AS.
Barcelona lost 5-3 against Villarreal at home in a La Liga match and went 10 points behind table-toppers Real Madrid. In the post-match presser, Xavi announced that he would quit once the season ended.
While the decision was no less than a shock to many Cules, this was something always coming following Barca’s poor form in the recent form as they also crashed out of the Spanish Super Cup and Copa del Rey in January.
As per the report, Xavi met with the squad on Sunday to explain his decision in detail. As the Spaniard kept on addressing his report, he came close to breaking down in tears on multiple occasions amid his speech.
The meeting lasted for almost half an hour at the end of which the players gave a standing ovation to Xavi. The Spaniard hugged all his players one by one.
"From June 30, I will not continue as Barca coach. As a Barca fan, I believe the club needs a change of dynamic," Xavi said in a post-match press conference.
"I've been a man of the club. I've prioritised it above even myself. I've given everything I have. And I will continue to do so to make the fans feel proud."
Xavi arrived in Barcelona in November 2021 to take charge of the club after previous manager Ronald Koeman was sacked.
The 44-year-old led the club in a total of 122 matches where he won 76, drew 20 and lost 26. He helped the club win their first La Liga title since 2019 in 2023, after beating Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid and Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid in the title race.
Barcelona are still alive in two competitions, La Liga and the Champions League, Xavi can still say goodbye to the club of his life with silverware this season, although, with the way things are going, it seems very unlikely.