Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez – ‘I feel totally trusted by Laporta, Deco and the team’ – Football España

Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez has sought to quell rumours that the hierarchy at the club are losing faith in his management, following a difficult run of results, and still worse play.

After it was reported that President Joan Laporta already had a successor in mind, Xavi was adamant that there was unity and trust in his project. First and foremost from his players, claiming that they were content with his tactical setup.

“There is a connection between my plan and what the players convey. There are good days and bad days. In Vallecas we played a good game, a game we should have won, we generated play, we saw a more aggressive team in the second half. The approach is working but it is not the game that we want. We lack a lot of continuity, like in the 60 minutes of the Clasico, we played well at home to Sevilla, Betis, away at Villarreal. People are happy with the plan and there is no problem.”

Xavi was later asked outright whether he felt that the Blaugrana had faith in his ability to turn things round.

“Yes, I feel supported by the club in every way. I speak daily with the person in charge who is the president and I have total trust, with Deco I have total trust, we have a friendship too, they know how we work and I see total trust.”

“I’m fine, I’m energised, more positive than ever and I have to be because I’m the one who leads this team and I believe a lot in the players. We’ve done it, we’ve won titles and I have blind faith in the players and the staff. I focus on what we can control. There is always criticism, this is Barcelona, it is a reminder of what I experienced in the past as a footballer.”

There had been reports that Xavi was increasingly feeling isolated, with former allies Mateu Alemany and Jordi Cruyff gone from the club.

“Luckily I don’t feel alone, because I have the trust of the president, of Deco, a staff that is faithful to my beliefs, they are also friends, apart from my brother, and apart from the players, things are going to work out and if not We will have tried. This is football. Like last year, we believed, they worked together and for these reasons I believe things will work out.”

“Yes, I feel supported by the club in every way. I speak daily with the person in charge who is the president and I have total trust, with Deco I have total trust, we have a friendship too, they know how we work and I see total trust.”

Xavi on whether he feels the #FCBarcelona… pic.twitter.com/dloJNiTrOr

— Football España (@footballespana_) November 27, 2023

While Laporta took the unusual step of going to visit the Barca Atletic team on Sunday, something he does not customarily do. Xavi tried to play down the importance of it.

“The photo of Laporta with the reserve team is a sign that we are united. Every game he comes down to us, if you want I’ll give you the photo of each game with the president. There is no other interpretation. I have a good relationship with the president, with Marquez, with Deco, with everyone. A feeling of unity and normality and that the president does as he does with other teams, like the women’s team.”

Laporta is not prone to sacking managers mid-season, having rode out tricky spells with Frank Rijkaard, and even stood by Ronald Koeman until things got desperate, with Barcelona nearly out of the Champions League. However with Porto, Atletico Madrid and Girona coming up next, there is the potential for Barcelona to reach a similar situation in Europe, and be a remarkable 12 points off top spot should they lose all three.