Xavi Hernandez’s decision to step down as Barcelona head coach at the end of the season came as a shock to many, despite the club’s difficult spell over the last few months. The 44-year-old announced the news after the defeat to Villarreal on Saturday, and the decision looks like having a knock-on effect on one of his squad members.
That is Sergi Roberto. The 31-year-old club captain is out of contract at the end of the season, but the expectation was that he would remain, given that Xavi was expected to continue as head coach into the 2024-25 campaign.
However, with Xavi now leaving, Diario AS say that Barcelona won’t entertain the option of Roberto getting a new contract, as they have “no intention” of allowing him to stay beyond the end of the season. As such, he will be leaving in the summer in search of a new club.
Roberto has been an excellent servant for Barcelona, but it now looks very likely that he will be leaving. With this, a new club captain will be needed – the likes of Marc-Andre Ter Stegen and Ronald Araujo will be strong candidates for this role.
