'He was not prepared to come to Barcelona' - Blaugrana boss Xavi slammed by old Real Madrid foe Guti after bombshell resignation announcement

In January, Xavi announced his intent to leave Barcelona at the end of the season. His decision has been met with strong reactions around Spanish football, and former Madrid midfielder Guti is the latest to weigh in.

The Madrid legend slammed Xavi in an appearance on Spanish TV network El Chiringuito, saying: "Xavi Hernandez was not prepared to come to Barcelona. He thought that everything was going to be very easy, and no. When you get your license in Qatar and train in a match in which 300 people are there... It's not the same as sitting on the Barcelona bench. This is how it is. It's reality."

After winning La Liga last season, the Blaugrana have struggled significantly this campaign. They find themselves eight points off league leaders Real Madrid, and have been eliminated from the Copa del Rey. A Champions League title would seem to be their only realistic shot at silverware, but that is a very tough ask given the competition.

The Barca legend will stay at the club until the end of the season, at which point the Blaugrana are expected to hire a new manager. Hansi Flick, Thomas Tuchel and Rafa Marquez have all been linked with the soon-to-be vacant post.