Will Barcelona fire Xavi Hernández as head coach? Would they have to pay him compensation?

Xavi Hernández had to dig deep into his own pockets to move back to Barcelona, with the sheikh owner of his previous club, Al Sadd in Qatar, demanding he pay a €5 million ($5.43 million) release clause to leave in the middle of the season. Now, he would also willing to forego money should Barça president Joan Laporta decide to fire him as head coach in the summer. The 43-year-old doesn’t want to cause the Catalans any additional financial issues or get involved in a legal dispute.

Xavi is a Barcelona fan first and foremost and is aware that if the club opt to dispense of his services, it will be because he hasn’t done the job he was tasked with doing this season.

Barcelona “more screwed” when Xavi arrived

In any case, AS has learned that Xavi remains confident in his own abilities and is convinced he will turn things around following a difficult spell. He won’t throw in the towel and isn’t resigned to losing his post; instead, he is ready to fight more than ever to get Barça out of the hole they find themselves in. “We were more screwed when I arrived,” he said following the heavy 4-1 Spanish Super Cup final defeat to Real Madrid.

After winning last year’s edition of the tournament and LaLiga in 2022-23, Xavi does have credit in the bank, although it is starting to diminish. The manner of the Super Cup loss was more damaging than simply the defeat itself. Two years ago, La Blaugrana lost to Madrid in a penalty shootout in the semi-finals and Laporta went down to the dressing room to congratulate the players on how they had performed.

When will Barça make a decision on Xavi’s future?

In theory, the club’s plans remain unchanged when it comes to Xavi’s future, with an assessment to be made at the end of the season. Only a complete collapse, such as a defeat to third-tier team Unionistas de Salamanca in the Copa del Rey on Thursday, or two or three consecutive bad results in LaLiga, could prompt action to be taken. The Champions League round-of-16 tie against Napoli, to be played next month, could also have a big say on Xavi’s future.

Who is the favourite to be next Barcelona coach?

The coach himself is under no illusions and knows that his future depends on winning trophies. If Barça end the season empty-handed, there is a chance he could be replaced (former Mexico defender Rafa Márquez, current the B team manager, is said to be the frontrunner).

Xavi willing to forego compensation

Discussions regarding the needs and the future of the club would need to be had with Laporta. And this is where Xavi would be prepared to put the club first. The former midfielder would resign and agree to tearing up the remaining year of his contract without receiving any compensation he is due if the president asks him to. Under no circumstance will he get involved in a legal battle with Barcelona, or kick up a fuss of any kind.

Xavi may have his faults, but his love for the club is one of his virtues when it comes to Barça. He lost money when he took over and he could lose plenty more if the worst comes to the worst.

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