Xavi is only a small part of Barcelona’s problems and his successor will inherit a crisis club torn between short-termism and trusting in youth and hit with crippling spending restrictions… there is no easy fix to this mess

Whoever takes over as Barcelona coach from Xavi will inherit a club torn between the short-termism of signing ageing or failing superstars, and trusting in youth. 

They will also have to work with an imbalanced squad and huge restrictions on spending next summer. The coach may be going but it’s already clear he is by no means the only problem at a club in permanent crisis.

‘The team has a bright future whether I’m here or not,’ said Xavi last week. 

It’s true that with winger Lamine Yamal (who will not turn 17 until next July), 17-year-old defenders Pau Cubarsi and Hector Fort, 18-year-old forwards Marc Guiu and Vitor Roque, and 21-year-old Pedri and 19-year-old Gavi the club has the nucleus of a team for the next decade. But there are two problems.

Firstly, those players will need patience that is in short supply at a club that tailspins into panic every time it looks like missing out on some prize money. 

The club are torn between short-termism and trusting in several promising academy graduates

There are already concerns over not finishing in the top two this season and therefore waving goodbye 5m euros that come from participating in the Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia every January.

And secondly, these bright young talents need big contracts to keep them at the club and that remains difficult because of the financial restrictions. 

Pau Cubarsi has already drawn the attention of Pep Guardiola and Manchester City could try to sign him at the end of the season. Barcelona are not well-positioned to defend themselves against such moves.

Working in parallel with ‘project youth’ has been the policy of bringing ageing or failing stars in recent years. 

Robert Lewandowski was signed when he was no longer wanted by Bayern Munich, Manchester City did not want Joao Cancelo and Atletico Madrid did not want Joao Felix. There was limited interest in all three and so Barcelona stepped in taking the latter two on loan and paying big money for the former.

Joan Laporta will be concerned over the club’s league position and concerning financial plight

Veteran Robert Lewandowski was signed when he was no longer wanted at Bayern Munich

The short-term effects of bringing in Lewandowski were felt last season when he top-scored as they won the league but he is coming towards the end of his career and this season he has not made anywhere near the same impression.

The two Joaos have also been of limited use to Xavi. Joao Felix was taken off against Villarreal on Sunday after another below-par performance. And it was Cancelo’s mistake that led the second goal in the 5-3 defeat.

Both Portuguese players were bought in at the end of the last transfer window by agent Jorge Mendes, with Xavi less than keen over the Atletico Madrid forward. In the end his opinion counted for little.

Whoever comes in will have to deal with that precarious political situation. The coach does not have the final say. 

Xavi wanted to leave Lewandowski out of Barcelona’s last Champions League game this season but was over-ruled by president Laporta and sporting director Deco and had to issue a second squad list with Lewandowski’s name included.

The coach does not have the final say at Barcelona due to the precarious politicial situation

When he won the league last season he might have expected to be able to make a power grab off the back of the success but instead the sporting director team that he trusted – Jordi Cruyff and Mateu Alemany – moved on and Deco came in to replace them.

The club seem to have more faith in Deco and Mendes seeing them through this period of financial restraint than in Xavi molding a young and exciting side. He has consistently not had the last word on departures and arrivals. 

He wanted to keep Ousmane Dembele in the summer but the Frenchman could be sold for a fee, and so he left. He is currently one of Ligue 1’s top assist providers and Barcelona are missing his unpredictability and pace.

The financial outlook remains gloomy going into next season. Last season’s average crowd of 83,497 in the Camp Nou has fallen to 40,000 in their temporary home. That will affect their accounts and Barcelona’s ability to shake off the shackles of La Liga’s financial fair play restraints.

The wage bill has shrunk but not enough and next season Lewandowski will need to be paid even more than he has been this season. When he signed his three-year contract at the start of last season he agreed to earn 20m euros gross in his first year, 26m in his second season, and 32m next season.

The club seem to have more faith in Deco and Jorge Mendes to guide them through than Xavi

Xavi has been found wanting with too many of his players dropping their levels this season

Last September La Liga gave Barcelona a salary-cap of 270m euros but that was still 130m euros over their current wage bill – paying Lewandowski more, when he is actually offering less, is not going to help.

Players may have to be sold. The club seem to be talking-up Bayern Munich’s 100m euros interest in Ronald Araujo – for all that they claim they are not tempted to sell him.

Xavi is maybe best out of this situation. Quitting midseason after a 5-3 home defeat is not the way he would have wanted to bow out and it’s true he has been found wanting with too many of his players having dropped their level from last year and no signs that he is developing a recognized playing style.

But he will leave in June having won the first ever post-Lionel Messi league. No one can take that away from him. And when he goes, Barcelona’s problems will not go with him. 

Xavi is only a very small part of the club’s problems.