The draw in their last La Liga game against Granada was a disappointing game for FC Barcelona for several reasons. The inability to win this match not only put an early break to the good streak of results that the team was getting, and left the team with a lowered morale as winning the league now seems almost impossible.
The effects of this draw were felt up to the highest level at Barcelona, as President Joan Laporta made his anger known in the Presidential box by throwing plates of canapes. However, the situation has somewhat calmed down at the Catalan club for now.
According to SPORT, with this calmness, Laporta has once again reiterated his plans to keep Xavi till the end of the season. Laporta had earlier stated that he had accepted the formula of keeping Xavi till the end of the season because of his status at the club, and the latest result has not changed the President’s mind in this regard.
Laporta hopes that Xavi will be able to meet the updated objectives given to him by the club, i.e., finishing in the top four positions in La Liga, or ideally, finishing second to get a Spanish Super Cup spot, and getting past the Round of 16 in the UEFA Champions League.
The upcoming tie against Napoli also plays in Xavi’s favor, as Laporta believes that Barcelona’s best chance of advancing from this round is with Xavi at the helm.
Once the season ends, Xavi will say his goodbyes after two and a half years in charge of the team. Meanwhile, Laporta and Deco will continue with their search for Xavi’s successor, and try to get a competent coach who can play a role in getting Barcelona back to their rightful place in Spain and Europe.
