Barcelona has fired manager Xavi and is set to replace him with former Bayern Munich boss Hansi Flick.
Xavi last match as Barcelona manager will be on Sunday in their final La Liga match against Sevilla.
The decision to terminate Xavi’s contract, which was supposed to last until 2025, was communicated to him during a meeting with club president Joan Laporta and sporting director Deco on Friday.
This comes exactly one month after it was announced that Xavi would continue as the manager.
In January, the 44-year-old former Spain midfielder had announced his departure from Camp Nou, but he was convinced by Laporta to stay in April.
However, Xavi’s recent comments about the club’s financial difficulties are reported to have upset Laporta.
Barcelona expressed their gratitude to Xavi for his coaching work since taking charge in 2021 and stated that a “new structure” will be confirmed soon, with Flick expected to assume the role.
Hansi Flick, 59, has been without a job since he was dismissed as Germany’s manager in September 2023. He took over from Joachim Low in 2021 but was the first Germany manager to be sacked since the position was established in 1926, winning only 12 of his 25 matches in charge.
Prior to his time with the national team, Flick led Bayern Munich to a treble in 2020, securing the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal, and Champions League titles.
Barcelona forward Robert Lewandowski, 35, played under Flick at Bayern Munich for two seasons.
Xavi guided Barcelona to the La Liga title in the 2022-23 season but had a disappointing defense of the crown this year. The team is currently 12 points behind rivals Real Madrid with one game remaining.
Barcelona was eliminated from the Champions League in the quarter-final stage by Paris St-Germain.
Xavi, who spent 17 years as a player at Barcelona after emerging from the club’s La Masia academy, retired in 2019 and took over as manager of Qatari side Al-Sadd.
He remained in Qatar for two more seasons before replacing Ronald Koeman as Barcelona’s boss in November 2021. In his first full season in charge, Xavi helped the club win the La Liga title and the Spanish Cup, securing a return to the Champions League.
