In an interview with La Vanguardia, the former Barcelona coach revealed previously unknown details about what could have been the most anticipated return in the club’s history, but Joan Laporta had other plans.

“Lionel Messi back to Barcelona was a done deal. In January 2023, after winning the World Cup, we got in touch and he told me he was excited about returning, and I saw it happening,” said Xavi, challenging the official narrative that the return was impossible because of salary issues or league restrictions.

According to the coach, the plan was to create a cinematic end to Messi’s career. “We spent five months talking with Leo, it was done, we were going to do a last dance like Jordan, everything was prepared.” Xavi insisted that, from a soccer perspective, Messi’s impact remained unquestionable, even with the 2026 World Cup in mind.

Why did his arrival ultimately not happen?

The most significant revelation from the interview pointed directly to the presidential box. Xavi stated that despite having the “green light from LaLiga” and advanced negotiations with Jorge Messi, it was Joan Laporta who stopped the operation out of concern about losing influence within the institution.

“Laporta told me directly that if Leo came back he would make war on him, and that he could not allow that,” Xavi said. The coach added that the refusal was not financial. “Leo is not coming to Barca because the president does not want it, it is the president and his people who say no, that Messi would manage that power badly for him.”

It represented a significant turning point, and Xavi ultimately stated that Messi would not return to Barcelona because Laporta does not want that. Essentially, the narrative that LaLiga or Jorge Messi were demanding money was not accurate, and these statements could prove crucial for Barcelona.

It is also important to remember that Barcelona are currently in the process of presidential elections, where campaigns had already begun. Laporta had used the possibility of a Messi return, even in the form of an exhibition match, as part of that discussion, but these new statements could change the overall outlook. The votes are scheduled for March 15.

While names like Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi dominate in Argentina, and Brazil proudly celebrates the legacies of Pelé, Ronaldo, and Ronaldinho, Xavi’s choice surprised many. The Spanish icon did not mention any player from his own country or even from Europe.

Back in March 2019, just before starting his managerial career and while still playing for Al-Sadd in Qatar, Xavi made his stance clear on Lionel Messi, naming him the greatest player in history.

“Each day he’s a better player,” Xavi said. “It’s incredible. In my opinion, he’s the best player in history, not just of this moment, but of all time.” His comments came after Messi had scored a hat-trick for Barcelona in a 4-1 victory over Real Betis, showcasing his incredible talent.

Xavi continued to praise Messi’s brilliance, adding, “What he’s doing is unbelievable. In every match, he makes the difference, every match, for 12 years. I’ve played with him, and his skill is incredible. He’s the best player in history, in my opinion, without a doubt,” referring to Messi, the current captain of Inter Miami.

Xavi stands firm on his opinion

Although Xavi made these remarks in 2019 while still a teammate of Messi at Barcelona, his opinion has not changed. When asked again about the world’s greatest player during an interview with FIFA’s official website in early December 2024, Xavi’s answer was as strong as ever.

“It’s still Leo,” Xavi said confidently. “Leo Messi. I enjoy many players around the world, but for me, he remains number one in talent.” Xavi also reflected on the differences between his experiences at Barcelona and with the Spanish national team during his playing days.

“Maybe the difference between Barça and the national team was Messi,” Xavi explained. “We didn’t have Leo with the national team, we didn’t have such a differential player. We had to rely more on the team and the collective, but we still achieved success—European Championship, World Cup, European Championship. At Barça, we also had a great generation, and we won everything.”

Messi and Xavi together at FC Barcelona

Together, Xavi and Messi formed part of one of the greatest teams in soccer history, dominating the sport and leaving no rival unchallenged. Over the 11 seasons that Xavi and Messi played together at FC Barcelona, they won a remarkable 24 titles.

Among their most significant achievements were three UEFA Champions League trophies (2009, 2011, and 2015), two FIFA Club World Cups (2009 and 2011), and a UEFA Super Cup in 2009.

Luis Enrique criticized Xavi Hernandez’s Barcelona for playing “long balls” in a new documentary that follows his first season as PSG coach, during which they defeated the Catalans in the Champions League.

“Barça aren’t guaranteed to [dominate games], they haven’t in two seasons with Xavi,“ the PSG coach said in the documentary titled ‘No tenéis ni p–a idea (You have no f—–g idea)’, which will be aired by Movistar+ in Spain next Monday, per ESPN.

“It’s a lie to say Barça were better, that’s completely false,” he said, after his team lost the first leg of the quarterfinals tie 2-3 in Parc des Prince. “They played long balls. [Goalkeeper Marc-André] ter Stegen broke the record for long passes — I think it was 24. They play like Eibar. It was all long balls. Call it the third man if you’re a fan of Xaxi.”

He also criticized their defense: “They aren’t a dominant team and they are not a good team defensively, either. They defend with bodies but they don’t have quality in defense.” After losing the first leg, PSG came back with a 4-1 win in the second leg at the Olympic Stadium in Barcelona.

The documentary also shows how the Spanish coach motivated Kylian Mbappe in an one-on-one talk. “You have to be a leader. You have to help us. Defend like a son of a b—h, lead by example, press… and we will be a f—–g machine,” he told him. While PSG was able to win the tie, they eventually were eliminated by Borussia Dortmund in the semifinal.

Luis Enrique said that Barcelona wanted him back

Luis Enrique also revealed that Barcelona, where he guided the team to a Treble in the 2014-15 season and claimed nine trophies over his three-year stint, contacted him regarding a potential comeback during the 2022-23 campaign.

“They called [my agent Ivan de la Peña],” he explained. “I said to him: ‘Ask them what happens if Xavi wins LaLiga and the Copa, are they going to sack him?’ I already knew the answer,” he said.

According to Marca, Spanish football managers are considering a collective protest, potentially involving a boycott of matches and training sessions, until their colleagues—many of whom are currently employed—receive all back dues owed to them from sackings or buyouts.

The report highlights that Quique Setien, dismissed from Villarreal in September of last year, and Alvaro Cervera, sacked by Real Oviedo, are just two examples of managers still awaiting payment due to their firings.

LaLiga Looking to Avoid Managers’ Strike

The National Committee will meet on Thursday to discuss the issue with representatives from LaLiga and the corresponding divisions, hoping to devise a plan to resolve the matter.

Barcelona alone has seen five managers pass through its doors in recent years (Ernesto Valverde, Quique Setien, Ronald Koeman, Xavi Hernandez, and now Hansi Flick). The good news is that Barcelona is one of the few teams that do not owe coaches any dues.

When Xavi was sacked from Barcelona, he voluntarily forfeited his dues to help alleviate the club’s financial strain at the time. Barcelona would have owed Xavi between 10 and 12 million euros.

Currently with the Polish national team preparing for UEFA Nations League matches, Lewandowski is well aware of the strong start to the season at his club. During a press conference, he was asked about the differences between Flick’s Barcelona and the team under Xavi last year.

“It’s different, and you can feel it. We didn’t have a match like this last season,” Lewandowski said. “As Hansi Flick mentioned from the start, he wants to create an offensive team that generates opportunities, scores plenty of goals, and presses well.”

While acknowledging Barcelona’s early success, the Polish striker was quick to temper expectations, reminding everyone that it’s still early days. “We’ve started well, but sometimes we stumble, and sometimes we get it right. The season is long, and a lot can still happen,” Lewandowski noted.

Polish soccer legend announces retirement

Polish goalkeeper and Lewandowski’s national teammate, Wojciech Szczesny, has announced his retirement from soccer after an illustrious 18-year career, including seven seasons as Juventus’ starting goalkeeper.

The 34-year-old Szczesny shared his decision on social media, explaining the reasons behind his choice: “I gave the game 18 years of my life, every day, without excuses. Today, even though my body feels ready for more challenges, my heart is no longer in that place,” Szczesny said.

In response to Szczesny’s announcement, Lewandowski reflected on how the news has shifted his perspective on life and the sport. He mentioned that it has led him to “approach things differently” to enjoy certain moments without future regrets.

Poland’s upcoming UEFA Nations League matches

Led by Lewandowski, the Polish national team will begin their UEFA Nations League campaign with an away match against Scotland on September 5, followed by a clash with Croatia on September 8.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid absolutely dominated La Liga with an extraordinary roster led by Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Jr. Barcelona had no answer and are currently 14 points behind Carlo Ancelotti’s team.

On January 27th, after a crushing loss against Villarreal, Xavi confirmed he won’t return for the 2024-2025 season. However, due to resurgence in all competitions, Joan Laporta, the club’s president, convinced him to stay.

Now, when everything seemed to be calm with full support for his project, Xavi Hernandez has made very controversial statements that might have broken his relationship with Laporta. This could result in him being out of Barca.

Xavi could be fired from FC Barcelona

According to reports from RAC1 and Sport, Joan Laporta was enraged after Xavi’s statements on Wednesday, prior to the match against Almeria in La Liga. The coach warned thousands of fans that the club might not succeed in the near future due to a complicated financial situation.

“We will try to compete against this in the coming years, but Barcelona fans must understand that the situation is very difficult. Very complicated. Not only to compete with Real Madrid, but also in Europe. We still don’t know what we will be able to do. We have to see the bigger picture regarding the financial situation and Fair Play. From there, we will decide.”

As a consequence, Laporta will not renew Xavi Hernandez’s contract for the 2024-2025 season. Despite the fact that a few days ago the continuity of Xavi had been announced, the reports point out that the president felt betrayed by his coach with that statement.

In fact, Laporta decided not to travel with the club for the match at Almeria on Thursday. He chose to stay in Barcelona to talk with other executives and make the final move that, according to Sport, will be communicated next week.

Hans-Dieter Flick is one of those names, and according Bild, the German manager is already learning Spanish to be prepared for the Barca job. The report claims the former German national team coach “would like” to work at Camp Nou as he’s looking for a “new challenge” in the summer.

Flick was the architect behind Bayern Munich’s historic run in the 2020 UEFA Champions League, leading the Bavarians to a memorable campaign in which they didn’t lose a single game en route to the title.

He later took charge of Germany, but nothing went according to plan. Hansi Flick was fired from the German national team in September 2023, following a 1-4 loss to Japan. 10 months earlier, his squad suffered a group stage elimination at the Qatar 2022 World Cup.

Deco says Barcelona haven’t talked with any coach yet

While Flick emerges as a candidate to take over the day Xavi leaves, Barcelona sporting director Deco said the club hasn’t begun the search of a new manager yet as it’s still too soon to be thinking about Xavi’s replacement.

“At the moment, we haven’t spoken to any coach. We are assimilating the departure of Xavi,” Deco said in an interview with Spanish outlet La Vanguardia. The Portuguese, however, explained what the club expects from their future coach.

“The decision will be made by the club. Decisions are not made by one person alone. Whoever comes in has to follow a working philosophy; we will hardly be a team that doesn’t want to play well, that doesn’t want to possess the ball,” he added. “Starting from that idea, every coach has their characteristics, but the one who comes in has to have ambition and hunger to achieve great things. And he must know where he is coming to.“

Deco addressed the rumors about Thiago Motta, who is doing a great job at the helm of Bologna, but admitted that he doesn’t “follow” his work so much because he doesn’t watch the Serie A side regularly. Another candidate he talked about is Rafa Marquez, who is working at Barcelona B. “He is a young coach who is growing in the face of difficulties. Being here will make him a better coach,” Deco said about the Mexican.

Xavi appeared 30 minutes after the match and, in that press conference, he made a surprising announcement even with chances to fight for La Liga and the Champions League. The coach confirmed that he is ready to say goodbye.

“I would like to announce that on June 30th, I will no longer continue as coach. We have been talking, the situation deserves a change of course, and I cannot allow this situation as a ‘cule.’ I had decided this a few days ago. The way things have gone, it’s the right time. The club needs a change in dynamics. Thinking about the club and the players, they play with too much tension. It’s best for me to leave. I will give my best. I believe we can have a great season.”

As a consequence, many coaches will seek to make themselves available to lead one of the most important teams in the world. If the answer is within the club, there is no doubt that Rafael Marquez has an advantage.

Who will replace Xavi as coach of Barcelona?

Currently, Rafael Marquez is the coach of Barça Atletic, the reserve team of Barcelona in the third tier of Spanish soccer. The Mexican is only in his second year on the bench, but many see him as the ideal replacement for Xavi.

This Saturday, after a 2-1 victory on the road against Fuenlabrada, Marquez was asked by several journalists about Xavi’s announcement and whether he would be willing to take the position next season.

“I believe that you can’t say ‘no’ to an opportunity like that. If it comes at that moment, obviously I will try to make myself available to do the best possible job. It’s part of the process. It will come if it’s meant to be. I will continue preparing myself. The board will have time to think it over between now and the end of the season.”

They were losing 2-0, but, in a span of just 11 minutes, the Culers took a 3-2 lead. Thousands of fans at Montjuic Stadium were thrilled as this seemed to be a magnificent version of the team.

However, due to incredible mistakes on defense, FC Barcelona lost 5-3 and said goodbye at any chance to win La Liga. Real Madrid and Girona have escaped on the standings and, though it’s only January, another title is gone.

That’s why, after the match at home, Xavi faced his toughest press conference as coach of the team. In the end, the former legend acknowledged it is time for a change.

Xavi will leave FC Barcelona

Xavi didn’t wait for any decision by club’s president, Joan Laporta. Just minutes after the game, Hernandez confirmed he’ll leave the team at the end of this season.

“I would like to announce that on June 30th, I will no longer continue as coach. We have been talking, the situation deserves a change of course, and I cannot allow this situation as a ‘cule.’ I had decided this a few days ago. The way things have gone, it’s the right time. The club needs a change in dynamics. Thinking about the club, the players…they play with too much tension. It’s best for me to leave. I will give my best. I believe we can have a great season.”

Last Sunday, Barcelona suffered a humiliating 4-2 home defeat against the incredible Girona. Now, Xavi and his players are seven points behind the top position in La Liga.

The big problem for Barcelona is they’re not only behind Girona, but also powerhouses like Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid. Though they already had first place of the group in the Champions League, the loss at Belgium raised concerns ahead of the draw for the Round of 16.

That’s why, according to many reports, the president of the club, Joan Laporta, could be working on Plan if the season gets to a critical point in the next months. There’s one name with a clear advantage: Rafael Marquez.

Rafael Marquez could replace Xavi as coach of Barcelona

Rafael Marquez, who was as a great defender with Barcelona playing for Frank Rijkaard and Pep Guardiola, is currently the coach of Barça Atletic. He spoke about the rumors which place him as a possible replacement for Xavi Hernandez.

“You have to work a lot to reach that position. In the end, time will decide. Today, the most important thing for me is to prepare myself very well to continue gaining experience.”

During an interview with Cope, Marquez stated that he would love a chance to coach FC Barcelona. However, at the moment, all support should be directed toward Xavi Hernandez to ensure that the club achieve their goals. “When the opportunity arises, hopefully, I’ll be as prepared as possible. If not, I’ll continue exploring other paths or going in a different direction as well.”

“If they ask me and Xavi calls me, before he hangs up and regrets it, I’ll come,” Pedro said, as quoted by Barca Universal. At 36, the La Masia product is entering the final year of his contract with Lazio.

Though he made it clear he’s still committed to the Italian side, the veteran winger didn’t hide his desire to come full circle by retiring at the club that saw him become a professional player. However, Pedro knows that at this stage of his career, a return may not be on the cards.

“Barça is my team, but it’s very complicated for me to return, for many reasons, because of my age, but I would love to,” he added. “Retiring to Barça would be spectacular, but as I see it as distant and difficult, it’s something I don’t even consider.“

Pedro enjoyed a wonderful stint with Barcelona’s first team, even if he had the likes of Lionel Messi and Neymar above him. Even without being a regular starter, the winger managed to record 99 goals and 62 assists in 321 appearances for the Blaugrana. Pedro left the Catalan side in 2015, spending time with Chelsea and Roma before joining Lazio in 2021.

Pedro shares thoughts on Xavi’s work as a coach

Apart from sharing his desire to retire at Barça, Pedro addressed his former teammate’s work at the helm of the squad. The recent results have put Xavi in a hot seat, but the winger believes the coach has what it takes to lead the Cules back to glory days.

“I have a lot of confidence in Xavi,” Pedro said. “He is a coach who gives his all, he has very good ideas about what he wants to do, which is to take Barça to the top as far as possible.”

While he thinks the team is in a good spot, the 36-year-old said people should be careful when making comparisons. Pedro was part of a star-studded team that won the treble twice, so he knows how hard it can be for others to deal with pressure:

“Generally speaking, I see them well: the problem is to compare eras. And that’s what happens a little bit, but in general terms I see them well with world-class players like Lewandowski, Raphinha. Maybe it’s not valued so much from inside, but here at Lazio I’m asked about these young players and how they can make a difference at that age.”

Pedro may have no room at Barcelona

While a reunion would be a nice way to call it a career, it’s hard to see Barcelona bring back Pedro. The club currently has countless options at his position, with the likes of Ferran Torres, Joao Felix, Raphinha, and Lamine Yamal.

Besides, the Blaugrana have already parted with a number of veteran players. Gerard Pique, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba are just some of the big names that left the club recently. Additionally, the club is over the salary cap in LaLiga, so unless their situation changes drastically next year, Barca may not consider Pedro’s return.