Following a tough win over Mallorca with Lamin Yamal’s last-gasp, FC Barcelona, and soon-departing Xavi, will face a decisive match. The second leg, FC Barcelona vs. SSC Napoli at Montjuïc, is this season’s key match sportingly, and most importantly, economically.
The club needs to qualify for the quarter-finals in any way possible in order to completely revive its dire economic situation, even if just a little. Therefore, the club has deemed this match decisive for Xavi Hernandez’s seasonal fate. However, if they face elimination, President Joan Laporta and the administration will not wait until the end of the season to take action. Upon immediate dismissal of the Catalan coach, Rafa Marquez will likely lead the team for the season’s remainder.
But in the event of elimination from Napoli, will Xavi’s dismissal from Barça’s coaching position be even necessary?
This decision by the administration raises many questions. Because if eliminated, the season ends with nothing left to salvage. Unless the board fears a setback causing the team to drop in the remaining La Liga matches and table. This fall could result in not qualifying for next season’s Champions League. If this is what worries the administration, then this is a much greater disaster than the coach. This must be dealt with more wisely in later thinking.
Otherwise, Xavi’s dismissal from Barcelona would be meaningless. Unless, in one of the “imaginary” scenarios, the elimination from SSC Napoli leads to an immediate administrative revolution as a result of the complete economic failure of this season and, of course, of the previous ones. Or in another “imaginary” scenario, the club succeeded in convincing Hansi Flick, one of the most prominent candidates to take over as Barca coach next season, to take responsibility for coaching the team for the rest of this season in order to plan for the next season.
This “imaginary” scenario seems impossible without a real plan given the club’s economy—how will Flick plan for next season? He does not have the luxury of thinking comfortably about this miserable situation. In the end, they are all fanciful scenarios. But this aim at the same conclusion, sacking Xavi and hiring a new coach for the season’s remainder is pointless
The club’s situation is difficult and not promising at all, and again. This may lead to impromptus decisions by a management that always relies on improvisation, in light of the club’s need for wisdom and acumen in making decisions.
Sports Journalists – La Liga specialist, Specifically about FC Barcelona
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