FC Barcelona's head coach, Xavi Hernandez, has made a surprising U-turn on his decision to step down from his position at the end of the ongoing season. Instead, he has opted to fulfill his contract until June 2025, as confirmed by Barcelona's vice-president, Rafa Yuste, during a late-night announcement outside the residence of the club's president, Joan Laporta, following a meeting with Xavi.
Yuste conveyed to the gathered journalists, "Xavi will remain with us; he's genuinely thrilled and motivated." He further emphasized that the club had not engaged in discussions with any other potential coaches.
Earlier that day, Xavi had a direct conversation with Laporta and Barcelona's sporting director, Deco, during which he expressed his change of heart regarding the decision he had made back in January, according to reports from Xinhua.
Xavi's initial declaration after a 5-3 loss to Villarreal, stating his intention to resign at the season's end, had caught Barcelona off guard. He cited a desire to galvanize the team as one of the reasons for his decision, alongside discussing the immense pressures associated with managing FC Barcelona.
Highlighting the necessity for a "change of direction" within the club, Xavi also voiced feelings of being undervalued, stating, "there is a lack of respect, you feel that your work is not appreciated."
Following Xavi's announcement, Barcelona experienced a slight resurgence in performance, securing second place in La Liga and progressing to the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League before being eliminated by Paris Saint-Germain.
Despite the disappointment of a 4-1 defeat in the second leg, the team met the club's financial expectations by reaching the quarterfinal stage.
Reports indicated that Barcelona had considered various candidates to succeed Xavi, including B-team coach Rafael Marquez, renowned for his role in nurturing emerging talents such as Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsi.
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