Xavi ‘kicks Barcelona man out of his players WhatsApp group’ following his sacking

Xavi allegedly removed a Barcelona player from a WhatsApp group following his dismissal as manager, according to reports. Barcelona recently appointed former Bayern Munich and Germany manager Hansi Flick on a two-year contract, replacing Xavi, who was sacked a month after being convinced to stay by the club.

Xavi, who previously elevated Barcelona from ninth in La Liga to second place after Ronald Koeman’s sacking and led the team to a championship in his first full season, saw a decline this term. The team failed to pose a serious challenge, losing the title to Real Madrid and getting knocked out of the Champions League by Paris Saint-Germain in the quarterfinals.

The Spanish publication *Sport* reported that Xavi’s departure has caused friction between him and Joan Laporta’s adviser, Alejandro Echevarria. Xavi has allegedly been part of a WhatsApp group with Echevarria and former Barcelona players such as Carles Puyol and Victor Valdes. Following the breakdown of their relationship, Xavi reportedly created a new group excluding Echevarria but including the same ex-players.

Earlier in the week, Xavi cautioned his successor about the challenges of managing Barcelona, saying, “To the new manager, I tell you: You will suffer. This is a very complicated place to be.” He mentioned the difficulties of the role after his final match, a 2-1 win over Sevilla, and indicated he had no immediate plans for another job but was open to future opportunities after taking some time to rest.

Xavi expressed pride in his tenure despite the challenges, saying, “It’s so difficult to coach Barcelona. It’s been tough last week, but I have my conscience very clear. I’m proud and happy. When we got here we knew it was a difficult time for the club and I think we can be proud of the work we have done.”