An intense day was experienced this Wednesday at FC Barcelona. It was intense what happened yesterday at FC Barcelona. With a key decision finally resolved: Xavi Hernández will continue to lead the Barça bench until 2025 and will fulfill his contract. After a day of many meetings, everything was resolved in one last meeting that was held at President Laporta’s house. The assistants? The president, Xavi Hernández, the sports director Deco, the vice president Rafael Yuste and Alejandro Echevarría, Laporta’s right-hand man. Trust between both parties was ratified. Planning for the next course began and some changes were outlined in the physiotherapy department that are part of the restructuring that occurs each year.
Just as he did in 2014 when he was a player, Xavi has changed his mind. He deferred his resignation on January 27 after the painful defeat in Montjuïc against Villarreal (3-5). “I consider it to be the best for the club,” he said then. Three months later, his Barcelona went 13 games without losing. And they reached the quarterfinals of the Champions League, being one step away from the semifinal. During all this time, the sports leadership, Laporta’s hard core, the same one who attended yesterday’s meeting and the same ones who reluctantly accepted his deferred resignation in January, were convincing him. Especially Rafa Yuste. They haven’t been the only ones. The staff also asked for it. Including the youngest ones like Pedri, Lamine Yamal or Pau Cubarsí.
To stay, Xavi also wanted to ensure that Laporta would offer him a sporting project. Yesterday the president insisted that he is working to be able to sign normally under the 1-1 rule, that is, to be able to invest the same amount that you achieve with sales. To begin with, the club believes that it will be able to meet the budget for this year, which expected an income of 859 million euros and profits of 11 million. There is also an economic operation pending to be resolved. After the rudeness of the German fund Libero, which did not pay the 40 million in the summer for 10% of Barça Vision, the entity must find those 40 million before June 30. Furthermore, both this summer and in 2025, the club has to obtain two additional payments of 60 million to reach the 120 signed for the total of Barça Vision. Club sources acknowledge that new allies are being sought in Dubai and the United States and, in parallel, LaLiga also considers that Barça will end the season healthy since the salary bill has also been reduced: from 670 million to 500 million.
The next step is to outline a transfer plan together. Last summer Xavi missed reinforcing the team with a midfielder after Busquets left. They really liked Zubimendi and Kimmich and Oriol Romeu landed, with a good initial performance but with physical problems that have prevented him from settling into the eleven. He also insisted on the signing of Bernardo Silva, with whom he spoke several times. And he dreamed of Messi’s return. After yesterday’s meeting, there is more consensus to work along the same lines.
Before the final match that confirmed Xavi’s continuity, many things happened. To begin with, the entire board met at the Spotify Camp Nou offices and visited the stadium works. In that sense, topics were discussed such as the subscription model that will be applied at the end of the year when the field opens its doors with 60% of its capacity. The 17,000 Montjuïc subscribers will have priority. In addition, the status of negotiations with Nike was updated, which was currently paying 64 million annually and is considering paying more than 100 million annually.
Regarding Xavi, each one said their own. There was also talk about his coaching staff and even reinforcing it. There has never been a total consensus around its continuity. But the alternative, which was Rafa Márquez, coach of the reserve team, did not generate enough confidence. In any case, the president had the last word. So, while Laporta closed the meeting, Deco got work done by meeting with Xavi in ??the sports city for an hour and a half. The tuning was good. And they transferred the final decision to the president’s house. To celebrate the success and offer an image of unity, Bojan Krkic, advisor Enric Masip and Joan Soler, member of the sports commission, joined the meeting to dine on Japanese food.