The truce trap at Barça

The day after Barcelona lost to Villarreal in a match that was surreal and ended with Xavi announcing in the press room that he would leave on June 30. A new farce was staged at Ciutat Esportiva de Sant Joan Despí, which, apparently, is not the last. A fictitious peace was signed, which is held on by pins and which buys time for the cornered subject. The trainer has already spent his last cartridge and is now riding without a net, and The President did not hide his dissatisfaction with the coach’s decisionwhich is accepted as it is and remains in the message extravagantly optimistic, with statements like “I’m not ruling out La Liga” and “we should bet everything on the Champions League.”

Sunday’s event at the Ciutat Esportiva was attended by many journalists and many curious people. The Barcelona president arrived at the Ciutat Esportiva shortly before 11am. He did this accompanied by Enric Masipa, his trusted advisor. Xavi arrived soon after and became the first member of the first team to visit Barca’s training ground. Throughout the morning, the players and the rest of the athletic commission, the same one that had met Saturday night to reaffirm their confidence in the coach, arrived 20 minutes before the coach told them he was leaving.

The coach wanted to meet with the squad, including the staff, before training, but without the presence of anyone from the board or sports area.to explain the reasons that led him to take such a radical and destructive decision. Xavi apologized to his team for the haste with which everything was organized. “I’m sorry you found out about it this way, but it was something that had been in me for a long time and I couldn’t wait any longer.”, in order to then make the reasons for such an unexpected decision crystal clear: “I sincerely believe that this will be better for everyone; for me because I am free from the burden, and for you because you will be able to play without so much pressure.”

The coach motivated his team by emphasizing that “We’re a family and we still have time to make history, I think we can hit the ground running and surprise those who already think we’re dead.” While Xavi spoke to his players, Laporta met with his core in another room. At the end of the training session, it was the president’s turn to address the team.

Laporta and Xavi

The coach and president met again after a tense meeting on Saturday after the game against Villarreal.

Xavi spoke to DAZN after the loss and nothing he said hinted at what would happen an hour and a half later. During that period of time from the end of the match until the coach appeared in the press room, Xavi learned that the sports commission was meeting. So, He called Alejandro Echevarria, Laporta’s son-in-law and someone very close to Javi who was present at the meeting, to tell him he wanted to talk to the president. That’s when he informed him that he planned to announce his farewell at the end of the season. The President asked him not to do this, but he did not give in and made a speech to the press without any manager present.realizing that the players did not know, and his wife and brother were next to him.

Until yesterday morning, the club said no statement was planned, but the gravity of the situation prompted Laporta to record a message relayed to club media yesterday. In his message, Laporta admits that he only accepted Xavi’s decision. “Because he is Xavi, he is honest, he is decent, he loves Barça and he is a legend. I know he will be dedicated. La Liga is difficult but not lost, I don’t rule out winning it and we have to give it our all to win the Champions League, with more determination, more character and with our best efforts we can achieve some of our goals. for myself”.

Despite the recognition that “No one likes the situation” And? “We have improved the staff, but expectations are not being met” He called for unity among Barcelona fans.

At the exit of Ciutat Esportiva, Laporta signed autographs and took pictures and Javi left without stopping. Each on his own, leaving the club in a precarious balance eleven points behind Girona and 10 behind Madrid – a difference that no one has overcome at this stage of the championship. Meanwhile, the flow of bench candidates is unstoppable (including reserve candidate Rafa Marquez) and the team’s response remains to be seen. Tomorrow Xavi plays, the day after tomorrow the game against Osasuna. To be continued.