Barcelona have dispensed with their former midfielder, Xavi’s services and have already replaced him with Hansi Flick, but only now are the true details behind his sacking emerging.
It was suggested previously that Xavi’s words in his pre-match press conference before the game against Almeria had left president, Joan Laporta, furious.
Maybe that was ostensibly true, however, it’s something entirely different which appears to be the straw that broke the camel’s back.
According to reliable Spanish daily, Sport, it was the manager’s treatment of Robert Lewandowski that had caused seemingly unresolvable issues.
Xavi wanted Lewandowski out at Barcelona
Not only did there appear to be an unwillingness from the Polish centre-forward to understand that the young players in the team needed time and empathy in order to get their own game up to the level of their contemporary, but Xavi also believed the player was surplus to requirements in a footballing sense.
Sport suggest that Xavi wanted to sell Lewandowski this summer, as he didn’t consider the striker to be as aggressive or intensive enough for what was required of him.
Pini Zahavi is the player’s agent and also the agent of Hansi Flick, which would suggest such a marriage was always on the cards once Xavi had given Laporta the perfect chance to remove him from his position.
That said, anyone with a passing interest in football could understand Xavi’s point had they watched a handful of Barcelona’s games this season.
Lewandowski has still scored goals yes, and a fearsome six-yard box marksman he remains, however, unless the ball is put on a plate for him, there’s no associative build-up play or the ability to chase down balls with the intensity that Xavi obviously required.
Unfortunately for him, there was only going to be one winner in that particular argument, and so now Flick, who managed the striker whilst they were both at Bayern Munich, will be charged with getting the best out of Lewandowski once more.
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