Joan Laporta expresses desire to retain Xavi

Barcelona President Joan Laporta has expressed his wish to retain Xavi Hernandez as the club’s manager but acknowledges that it hinges on the conclusion of the season.

Recall that Xavi announced he would be departing Barcelona at the end of the season, but recent rumours suggest he could change his mind.

However, Laporta in a recent interview with MD said he has lucidly communicated his wish to Xavi.

“Yes, yes, yes, yes, he already knows it, but he notices it. I would like him to continue,” Laporta said.

The 61-year-old added, “I already told him at the time, when he said about the pressure, that here we are always under pressure with the experience you have. I asked him if there was any way he could change his mind, but I saw him dealing with an insurmountable pressure that could be seen on his face, so I told him to relax if he saw it that way.

“He keeps saying that at the end of the season, he would leave as we have agreed, but we’ll see. Let’s not put that pressure on ourselves because at the moment being with this formula works.”

Several managers have been linked to succeed Xavi at Barca, but only a few, as outlined by Six Sports align with the club’s financial and institutional ethos.