Barcelona President Joan Laporta did not exactly protexrt former manager Xavi Hernandez after his departure, in his first media appearance since the latter’s exit. Laporta spoke to club media channelBarca One to explain the decision to sack Xavi and appoint Hansi Flick, and received a message from Xavi’s camp thereafter.
During the interview, Laporta said that the club were not pleased with the physical preparation of the side, and also pointed to examples like that of Joao Felix, saying the Blaugrana had not gotten enough out of the Portuguese. However he noted that he still has a good relationship with Xavi, as a club legend.
After the interview, ‘someone close to Xavi’ sent Laporta a message asserting that there was no need to lie about their relationship, given it was clearly the contrary. Sport go on to explain that Laporta responded saying the personal and the professional had to be separated, but the Catalan daily believe that with time, their relations could recover. Other sections of the club have burned their bridges with Xavi, as is the case for Laporta’s advisor Alejandro Echevarria.
It may well need a considerable amount of time. Beyond just sacking Xavi, the manner in which Barcelona went about could scarcely have been more humiliating, and the Blaugrana coach had to find out about the club’s decision from others.
