Barcelona Dismisses Xavi with Plans to Replace him with Hansi Flick 

Barcelona have dismissed manager Xavi just weeks after he reversed his decision to leave at the end of the season.

Xavi had recently angered club president Joan Laporta by publicly claiming that the club could not compete with Real Madrid without major signings, despite reportedly assuring club officials otherwise in private.

The decision to sack Xavi was announced in an official statement, which thanked him “for his work as a coach, which adds to an unparalleled career as a player and captain of the team, and wishes him all the luck in the world.”

Barcelona also confirmed that Xavi will oversee the club’s final game of the season away at Sevilla on Sunday.

Former Bayern Munich manager Hansi Flick is expected to succeed Xavi. A deal was finalized with Flick earlier this week, prioritizing Barcelona over other clubs’ approaches.

This decision ends one of the most extraordinary managerial sagas in recent memory. Despite leading Barcelona to the 2022/23 La Liga title, Xavi faced immense pressure early in the 2023/24 campaign and announced in January his intention to step down this summer.

Club officials, including Laporta, publicly urged Xavi to reconsider after a significant upturn in form, and he confirmed in April that he would stay beyond the current season.

However, less than a month after that U-turn, Xavi has been informed that he will not be in charge next season. Flick, seen as the strongest candidate during provisional talks after Xavi’s initial decision, now appears set to take over this summer.