With just a week to go before the presidential elections at FC Barcelona, former coach Xavi Hernandez made headlines in an interview with La Vanguardia. During the discussion, he criticized Joan Laporta and his close advisor, Alejandro Echevarria.
Xavi was appointed as manager by Laporta in 2021, shortly after he won the presidential election.
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However, in 2024, the former president and current candidate ended his relationship with the iconic midfielder, handling the parting in a less than favorable manner.
Xavi Speaks Out
While Xavi has largely refrained from commenting on the nature of his exit, he chose to open up in this interview, sharing some shocking insights.
“After my departure, I chose to remain silent out of respect for Barça. Everyone knows my deep affection for the club; my entire family are devoted fans,” he expressed, as reported by Mundo Deportivo.
“However, I feel it’s necessary to explain my side. I’ve been holding this in and need to set the record straight,” he added.
Initially, Xavi acknowledged that his relationship with Laporta started on a positive note, which led to his appointment, but things soured during his final season, with Alejandro Echevarria seemingly at the heart of the issues.
“I signed with Barça thanks to him, but he ultimately let me down. Why? He dismissed me as coach without being truthful, influenced by someone I believe holds more power than the president—Alejandro Echevarria,” Xavi stated.
“In other words, it was Alejandro who let me go. That’s how Barça operates; it’s practically run by Alejandro Echevarria,” he asserted.
Further expressing his disappointment, Xavi remarked: “He was someone with whom I had a very close friendship. That’s why perhaps the biggest letdown in my departure from Barça was with him. He completely failed me.”
An examination of the breakdown in relations between Xavi and Laporta. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
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Xavi detailed the series of events that led to his departure. In January 2024, he informed the club of his intention to leave at the end of the season. However, the club, led by Laporta, persuaded him to reconsider.
“In January of my final season as coach, I expressed that I wouldn’t continue after June for the benefit of the club and my own well-being,” recalled Xavi.
“Following that, the team kept winning, and for two or three months, until we were eliminated from the Champions League by PSG and suffered a loss to Real Madrid in La Liga, they kept urging me to stay, insisting I should reconsider.”
Xavi revealed he even had a direct conversation with Echevarria: “I actually had a face-to-face meeting with Alejandro because I knew he was the one making all the decisions, and I asked for his perspective.”
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“I expressed my doubts because they were encouraging me to continue, but I wasn’t fully convinced. He assured me they were planning for next year and that the president was on board… Then came the setback against PSG…”
The Champions League defeat altered the situation, according to Xavi: “In that moment, Alejandro contacted me, I remember I was returning from picking up the kids from school, and he mentioned we needed to meet since they had held a board meeting where many members were uncertain about my future.”
“Alejandro invited me to the training ground, and I told him I had already stated I was leaving and didn’t need to continue.”
However, the decision flipped once more after what Xavi referred to as the ‘sushi dinner’ at Laporta’s home, where he recounted:
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“At the president’s residence, Laporta, who also wasn’t truthful, persuaded me to stay. He said, and I quote: ‘Xavi, I can’t envision the team without you, I can’t imagine the new Camp Nou without you, I can’t see the club’s 125th anniversary without you as the coach.’”
“Since I still felt motivated and saw a bright future ahead with the talented young players, I believed I was up for the challenge. I only asked for one change in the squad.”
Nevertheless, he asserted that the dynamics shifted again during a subsequent planning session with his staff and the new fitness trainers, Raul Martinez and Julio Tous, who had been approved by Echevarria and sporting director Deco.
“What was the issue? We had a meeting with my entire staff, along with Raul Martinez and Julio Tous, the new fitness coaches we had agreed upon with Alejandro and Deco,” Xavi recounted.
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“That’s when Alejandro began yelling about the state of the physical preparation. Was it justified? It had been discussed by the media… I interrupted him, insisting that wasn’t accurate.”
“There are statistics indicating that no Barça team has outperformed our league champions in terms of distance covered since 2003. We never lost due to physical conditioning. That was just the narrative they crafted.”
“They aimed to remove me as a coach. Among those contributing to this was Raul Martinez, a friend who aligned with Alejandro’s agenda to push me out,” he noted.
When asked if Echevarria was responsible for his dismissal, Xavi recounted a previous conversation where he posed a question regarding Echevarria’s precise role.
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“I inquired about his exact position since Deco and Bojan, his assistant, were present. That’s when he decided I wouldn’t continue, but instead of confronting me directly and saying, ‘Look, you’re out,’ weeks passed without clarity.”
Attempts to Undermine Relationships with Players
Xavi has taken aim at both Laporta and Echevarria. (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images)
Xavi also alleged that Echevarria was spreading false information among various players, claiming that Xavi wanted to get rid of them.
“They initiated a media smear campaign against me, and worse, Alejandro was going around discussing with players like Sergi Roberto, Araujo, Pedri, and Raphinha that I intended to sell them,” he stated.
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Continuing, Xavi emphasized: “That really stings because it’s untrue. We had developed a plan constrained by Fair Play regulations, and we only discussed the possibility of one sale.”
“In fact, we had coordinated that with Jordi and Mateu; we were considering only letting one player go. Which player? Out of respect for him, I prefer not to disclose.”
Xavi described how communication abruptly ceased during that period, stating:
“I recall those two or three weeks where he did not respond to my calls or messages. I put my trust in Laporta, and Alejandro was my friend, but he’s the one who ultimately terminated my contract.”
“There was a moment when Sergi Roberto, who is my friend and was captain, approached me and asked, ‘Xavi, do you truly not want me to stay?’ I clarified that the opposite was true, that they were undermining me precisely because I was supporting his renewal.”
“He then informed me that Alejandro was sharing this same narrative with several players.”
Xavi defended his straightforward approach with the players, asserting: “I’ve always been candid. I was upfront with Piqué, a long-time teammate, and with my friend Jordi Alba, telling him it was time to move on. Why wouldn’t I do the same with the others?”
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He also criticized Laporta on this front: “I’ve held back, but the president insists I wanted ten players to leave, and that is simply false,” he argued.
Xavi expressed his views on Deco, his former teammate and now sporting director: “I have respect for him, but Deco is under the influence of Echevarria, who is the real decision-maker.”
In conclusion, when questioned about his recent support for candidate Victor Font, Xavi denied that it was related to a potential return to Barça.
“At this point, I don’t see myself returning to Barça. My time as a player and coach has come to an end,” he concluded.