The defeat against Girona last night was particularly painful for FC Barcelona because the team had come into this match after two morale-boosting wins against Porto and Atletico Madrid.
The Catalans were expecting to get a positive result in this match and get nearer to the summit of the league table, but Michel’s men did not give them a chance.
The Barcelona box was full of tension during this match against Girona. Some of the managers became highly worried after the team’s defeat, and there were fears of Xavi facing a similar backlash as he did after the match against Rayo Vallecano.
Laporta had gone to watch a Barca Atletic match instead of watching the first team’s match against Rayo Vallecano, and his photographs with Rafa Marquez emerged on social media, fuelling speculation about Xavi’s future in the Barcelona dugout.
However, according to SPORT, Laporta wanted to avoid any such situation after the Girona loss, and taking notice of the unrest among the managers, he made sure to go to the locker room and wait there for Xavi, who was fulfilling his media duties.
The President and the coach both were hurt by the last defeat, but Laporta talked calmly to Xavi and asked the head coach to continue with his work without being influenced by this loss.
Xavi feels fully supported by the President, especially as he knows that Laporta does not bet on short-term projects. The President likes to see his projects mature over time, and Xavi also has some room for error as he won the Spanish Super Cup and the league title last season.
He also has led Barcelona back to the knock-out rounds of the UEFA Champions League, and his team is alive in all the competitions. Thus, Laporta knew that Xavi would need all his support in this decisive phase of the season, and his gesture after the match conveyed this support to the former midfielder.
