The announcement that Xavi is leaving Barcelona on the finish of the season has shocked the footballing world. Barcelona have tumbled from one efficiency to a different and the supervisor hopes that this announcement galvanises the squad to attain one thing earlier than the legend departs. Xavi’s supervisor profession will thus finish one other chapter, albeit sooner than the person himself would have most popular.
Right here’s a take a look at Xavi’s supervisor profession up to now, what he has achieved, and what might maintain subsequent for the Spaniard after his dream job has led to frustration.
Xavi’s supervisor profession
Al-Sadd FC- July 2019 to November 2021 (94 video games)
Xavi began off his profession at Qatar facet Al-Sadd. It’s the membership the place he retired as a participant after enjoying for 4 years.
Not like different former players-turned-managers, it was a pleasant introduction to administration for Xavi who might go forward along with his growth outdoors the general public eye and scrutiny. He took full benefit of the chance, ending that tenure with an ideal file of two.21 factors per sport.
The cups got here in spades as he received two Qatari League Cups, one Qatari Stars Cup, two Qatar cups and received the league as soon as in 2020/21.
Nevertheless, there was an asterisk on his success in Qatar. That’s as a result of Al-Sadd are just about just like the PSG/Bayern of Qatar. A lot of the nationwide crew performs for Al-Sadd and the gulf between them and the remainder of the league is large.
Moreover, Xavi was backed tremendously however to his credit score, Al-Sadd have by no means been as dominant as they had been with him in cost. Their title-winning season noticed them win 19 out of twenty-two video games, scoring a outstanding 77 occasions, conceding solely 14.
It was the season which satisfied Barcelona that that they had one other managerial wonderkid after Pep.
FC Barcelona- November 2021 to July 2024 (122* video games)
It began so nicely. Xavi took over a crew reeling from their monetary troubles which had simply completed 13 factors behind Actual Madrid within the earlier season. The crew had misplaced its id, La Masia was forged apart, and new President Joan Laporta was searching for a miracle employee.
Xavi proved to be precisely that. In an ideal homecoming, Xavi addressed just about each downside in a outstanding first season.
Barcelona received the La Liga title again from Los Blancos. La Masia was thriving once more, with the likes of Gavi, Balde, and extra turning into not simply token debuts, however established members of the primary crew.
Los Cules scored 70 targets within the league and conceded simply 20 in an all-time defensive show. A number of wins over Actual Madrid additionally confirmed that Barcelona had been correctly again. A staple of Pep Guardiola’s time in cost was their superiority over Actual Madrid, serial title wins, and La Masia on the centre of all of it. Every part was again.
Till it wasn’t this season.
Amid damage worries to his pet tasks in Pedri and Gavi, an ageing Lewandowski, and a defence that conceded like a sieve, this season fell off the rails quickly. A crew that conceded 20 final season in 38 video games has already let in 29 after 21 video games.
Copa del Rey marketing campaign was surrendered in spectacular trend as they misplaced 4-2 to Athletic. The stability of energy tipping in the direction of Madrid was confirmed in a 4-1 loss, and a 3-5 loss to Villarreal sealed his destiny. In three video games, they conceded 13 targets, 70% of their complete season within the league final season. It couldn’t go on.
Xavi’s supervisor career- What subsequent?
Within the fast future, he would hope that his crew will get fired as much as award him a pleasant parting reward. The league might be already out of attain as they path Madrid by 10 factors. A fairytale UCL run is the perfect they will hope for however it’s unlikely. Count on to see extra debuts for La Masia merchandise like Pau Cubarsi.
Xavi will wish to go away a legacy on the membership by way of which he shall be remembered lengthy after he leaves.
Some will say he has arguably already carried out it, serving to the membership navigate its hardest interval in recent times.
