A legend grinder
Xavi is done. A true Barça legend who has decided to abandon ship at the end of the season, because he doesn’t feel supported. Although his tenure could be cut short if things get worse, especially after the 3-3 draw against Granada.
A poor result in the first leg against Napoli would most likely accelerate his departure and possibly see Rafa Márquez take his chances as the new leader.
While it’s a fact that Barça have underperformed so far this season, despite an improved squad over the summer, it’s also true that Xavi’s Barça outperformed in the previous season and a half. He ensured Champions League positions shortly after his arrival and then he went on to win both a Spanish league and Super Cup title.
But as soon as things have gone wrong, the tide has turned completely against him. Like it has with practically every other manager to ever manage this club in the past +20 years.
Even Pep Guardiola, the most successful coach this club will ever see, had detractors. In his last season he won four titles and had to face criticism despite all he’d achieved then, and in recent years. So, don’t doubt for a second that he would’ve been pressured to leave had he not won anything the following year. Luckily, he decided to leave. He knew it was impossible to become the Catalan Alex Ferguson. Now, Xavi has realised it too. In Can Barça, as we say locally, no one can withstand the ongoing toxicity.
Ronald Koeman is another club legend who left through the back door. Once revered, now disgraced. Ernesto Valverde probably didn’t make the cut to be considered a legend during his time as a Barcelona player, but he also left disillusioned with the extremely critical environment, better known as entorno in Spanish. His figures and titles while coaching the club weren't enough to avoid harsh criticism and a mid-season sacking.
Along this line, Xavi’s not the only one currently under scrutiny. Deco’s name keeps coming up in the press, to the point that many culers already want him gone regardless of the fact that he’s only been the club’s sporting director for five months. There seems to be this need to leak information confronting him with Xavi or making him look like an undercover Mendes pawn on a mission to fill the agent’s pockets. Why? Who knows… Deco must have made a few enemies along the way.
As a supporter it just hurts to see how much damage we keep on doing to our own club and to those we once admired, who helped take Barça to the very top. So, future F.C. Barcelona manager, whoever you are. Legend or not. Be prepared to feel the disappointment, because no matter how high you climb or how successful you are, sooner or later, you’ll be dragged back down.