‘Barca Managerial Seat Remain Open’ – Laporta Insists

Joan Laporta remains adamant that Xavi could stay on as Barcelona manager despite the Spaniard’s recent “won’t change my mind” statement.

The Barcelona administration made an attempt to get Xavi to change his mind about leaving at the conclusion of the season after he declared his intention to do so in January. The Blaugrana’s impressive performance, which includes a 12-game winning streak since his declaration, has increased their allure.

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In a press conference ahead of Barcelona’s match against Cadiz last weekend, Xavi reiterated his stance, stating: “I will not change my mind.” Despite the emphatic confirmation from the man himself, Laporta remains undeterred and claims that discussions about Xavi’s future will take place at the end of the season with everything remaining “open”.

Laporta said via Mundo Deportivo: “We will discuss this issue at the end of the season. He [Xavi] is doing very well. He expressed himself in the sense in which he expressed himself, I understand that everything is open and everything is revisable. I understood that there have been circumstances that led him to do what he did. But at the end of the season, we will talk. There is time to talk about it.”

A few days ago, Deco, Barca’s sporting director, contradicted Laporta by saying that there are presently no plans to persuade Xavi to change his mind about leaving the team.

“At the moment there is no plan for Xavi to change his mind; if there is, we will talk,” Deco said.

“The peace of mind comes from the results. The team is winning. We have already talked a lot about Xavi. It has been a personal issue. We don’t have much to talk about. We have to think about the games.”

The Barcelona players are still focused on wrapping up the season strong despite ongoing rumours about Xavi’s potential departure. Barca is now eight points behind Real Madrid in La Liga, but they will have a chance to close the difference on Saturday in the Clasico. They will, however, play Paris Saint-Germain in their home round Champions League quarterfinal matchup before that, having won the first leg 3-2 in France.