Image: APA/Javier Soriano
The decision has been made for a few days, said the former world and European champion on Saturday. “I think the situation deserves a change. I think of the club and the well-being of the players. It will free it up, it will make it more relaxed,” said Xavi.
The 44-year-old took up the job in November 2021; last year the club legend won the championship and the Supercup with the Catalans. This season, however, things are anything but as planned. In the cup quarter-finals they were eliminated against Athletic Bilbao, the Supercup final was lost against Real Madrid and in the championship they are already ten points behind their arch rivals.
In the Champions League we face Napoli in the round of 16. “I will give everything in the remaining four months. I believe that we can still have a very good season and this announcement is helpful to change the situation,” said Xavi.
Defeat against Villarreal
His team had previously lost a strange match against Villarreal. Ilkay Gündogan (60th), Pedri (68th) and an own goal from Eric Bailly (71st) on the one hand as well as goals from Gerard Moreno (41st), Ilias Akhomach (54th) and Goncalo Guedes (84th) ensured for a 3-3 score before the start of stoppage time.
There, the Barca defense failed to get the ball out of the penalty area several times in a slapstick move, and in the end goalie Inaki Pena also did a bad job and Alexander Sörloth put the ball into the net in the 99th minute. If that wasn’t enough, Jose Luis Morales (102nd) secured the final point in favor of 14th place in the table.
Real, on the other hand, thanks to a late goal from substitute Aurélien Tchouaméni on his 24th birthday, scored three points at Las Palmas and thus took the lead in the table at least until Sunday. The record champions won 2-1 after falling behind without ÖFB legionnaire David Alaba, who had a knee injury, and Jude Bellingham, who was suspended.
Javi Munoz gave Las Palmas the lead in a long-equal game (53′). This was equalized by the strong Vinicius Junior (65th). Tchouaméni became the match winner with his header (84th). It was Real’s fifth league win in a row and the team has been unbeaten in the championship since September. With the same number of games played, the record champions are now two points ahead of the surprise team from Girona, who can jump back to the top with a win at Celta Vigo on Sunday.
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