In just over 24 hours time, Barcelona will kick off their potentially season-defining first leg clash with Napoli in their Champions League last 16 tie. A poor result at the Diego Armando Maradona stadium could spell the end of Xavi Hernandez’s time in charge, despite the fact that he has already announced his intention to leave in the summer.
Xavi could be given the boot if Barcelona are soundly beaten in Naples, although he seemed cheery and confident when he spoke to the media on Tuesday ahead of the match. However, his reception upon arrival in the Italian city was a stark reminder to the pressure that he is under.
As reported by MD, Xavi was jeered by one fan in particular upon Barcelona’s arrival at their team hotel, with the person in question calling for the 44-year-old coach to “get his act together”.
There’s certainly a strong possibility that Barcelona end up without a trophy this season, which is something that Xavi will be desperate to avoid. His best chance is probably the Champions League, although it will be far from easy to get past a Napoli side that could be playing with a new manager bounce.
