Xavi leaves Barcelona shortly after the disastrous defeat of Villarreal
XAVI has announced that he will step down as Barcelona manager at the end of the season.
The Catalan giants are currently ten points behind La Liga leaders Real Madrid and in third place.
The news comes after Barcelona were on the receiving end of a 5-3 defeat at home to Villarreal.
After the match, Xavi said: “I will leave Barcelona in June”.
“We have reached a point of no return. It's time for change.
“As a Culé, I think it is time to leave. I spoke to the board and the club today. I'm leaving on June 30.”
He added: “I made this decision days ago. I already knew it. But it's time to make it public.
“I don't think the players could free themselves. I don't want to be a problem for the club, but the opposite.”
Barcelona struggled for form all season, losing three of their last five games in all competitions.
Xavi's contract was due to expire at the end of the season, but the announcement takes the potential of him staying on even longer off the table.
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However, it seems that the media's criticism of being at the helm of a club like Barcelona was too much for Xavi anyway.
After the defeat at Villarreal, he claimed he could never stay at the club as long as Sir Alex Ferguson stayed at Manchester United – 26 years.
He said: “You've often asked me that if I were Barca's Sir Alex Ferguson… the truth is that it will be so.” NEVER happen here.
“You don't allow it; being coach of Barça is so difficult. You see them killing you, they criticize you, it affects you.”
“It's brutal work, it exhausts you,” Xavi added.
“In Barcelona you always have the feeling that you are not appreciated, that you are mistreated, that is how the club works. From a spiritual point of view it is also difficult.
“I'm a positive guy, but the battery keeps running out – and at a certain point you realize there's no point in staying.”
The Barca legend joined the club as head coach in 2021 after a spell as manager in Qatar with Al-Sadd.
During his time as boss of the Spanish giants, he guided the club to a league title and a Spanish Super Cup.
The 44-year-old has struggled in Europe, with his side twice exiting the group stages of the Champions League under his leadership.
Although the Catalan club advanced to the last sixteen this season, they suffered losses against both Shakhtar Donetsk and Royal Antwerp.
Barcelona have gone through a period of financial turbulence while Xavi was at the helm and the Spaniard managed to steady the ship for a number of years.
However, he has struggled to get the team to perform this season, with some disappointing results this term.
Xavi is the second high-profile manager to announce he will step down at the end of the season this week.
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp also revealed he will step away from management for some time and leave Liverpool in May.
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