On Saturday, after Barcelona’s bitterly disappointing 5-3 defeat to Villarreal at Montjuic, head coach Xavi Hernandez announced that he would be stepping down from the position at the end of the season.
The following morning, Xavi met with his squad to address the situation, and give his reasoning from stepping back in the summer. It was said to be an emotional meeting, and the 44-year-old was not the only person to speak, as Sergi Roberto – the club captain – also addressed his teammates and the coaching staff.
According to Cadena SER, Roberto asked Xavi to reconsider his decision to leave, as he wants him to remain as head coach beyond the end of the season. Furthermore, he apologised on beyond of he and his teammates for the consistent poor performances over the last few months.
Roberto certainly has an ulterior motive for wanting Xavi to remain, as it’s expected that he will leave the club in the summer when his contract expires. The veteran midfielder was likely to stay at Barcelona if Xavi did, but now that won’t be happening.
Image via REUTERS/Albert Gea/File Photo
