Joan Laporta fires back at Xavi as he brutally criticises Barcelona legend's managerial skills & says Hansi Flick is 'winning games with the same players'

The tension between the Barcelona boardroom and their former midfield maestro has been simmering since Xavi's tumultuous exit. However, the situation reached a boiling point following Xavi's recent media appearance, where he pointed fingers at the club's administration for broken promises and systemic issues during his time at the helm. Rather than let the accusations go unanswered, Laporta seized the platform of a high-profile presidential election debate to fiercely defend his executive decisions. Eager to justify the controversial sacking of a beloved club icon, the president drew a sharp, unapologetic contrast between the stagnant end of Xavi's reign and the revitalised energy currently surrounding the squad under their German tactician.

The president admitted to being "surprised and hurt" by the comments, particularly regarding the internal running of the club. “I was surprised and hurt. When I see these statements from Xavi, I think of Flick. It’s hard to be president of Barca and you have to make difficult decisions. I did what I had to do,” Laporta said during the debate, per Mundo Deportivo. “With Xavi, I saw that we were going to lose, and with Flick, I see that we are going to win. I understand that he is hurt. While Xavi was losing, Flick is winning games with the same players.”

A central point of the feuding parties is the collapsed return of Lionel Messi to Camp Nou in 2023. Xavi has claimed that Laporta deliberately vetoed the transfer despite having La Liga's green light for the move. Laporta, however, insists the decision was financial and based on the player's own concerns about the pressure involved in a return to his spiritual home, rather than a move to wage war on the Argentine icon.

“With Messi, when we couldn’t renew his contract due to financial reasons, in 2023 he told me that Messi wanted to return. I sent the contract to Jorge Messi, who later came to my house and told me that he would have too much pressure here,” Laporta clarified. This contradicts Xavi’s assertion that the deal was virtually done from a sporting perspective before the president allegedly 'threw everything out' at the final moment.

The tension between the pair also extended to the transfer market, with Xavi revealing his frustration over missed targets like Martin Zubimendi, who is now shining under Mikel Arteta's tutelage with Premier League giants Arsenal. The former coach stated that his attempts to sign the midfielder were blocked by the board, who cited financial constraints. Laporta countered this by suggesting that Xavi had lost faith in the squad he already had, becoming overly critical of the group’s ability to compete with rivals Real Madrid.

“Xavi explains in the interview the reasons why I fired him. He became complacent and couldn’t balance his professional and personal life. He said that Barca wouldn’t be competitive with Real Madrid. He asked to change players, and I told him he couldn’t continue. Xavi was dissatisfied with the squad and the referees. He said the squad wasn’t competitive. It was a recurring theme,” the president added during his rebuttal.

Laporta also took the opportunity to defend his close advisor, Alejandro Echevarria, after Xavi suggested the club was "practically run" by the aide. The former president claimed that Xavi was being manipulated by figures actively opposing the current administration, pointing the finger directly at his political and presidential rival Victor Font. “It hurts me that he allowed himself to be used and that he attacked Alejandro Echevarria to hurt me. Echevarría and Yuste defended Xavi’s tenure until the end. Behind Xavi, there is someone who is using him, and that is Víctor Font. He is trying to muddy the waters,” Laporta stated firmly.

Wrapping up his defence, the Barca president argued his actions were always for the greater good of the institution, even when it meant severing ties with club legends. “These are the three hardest decisions I’ve ever made. Messi, [Ronald] Koeman and Xavi. I did it with Barca’s interests at heart. I had two of them as players and these are decisions you have to make. They are legends of Barca. Barca cannot be run with a computer, it’s about feeling. Barca is above players and presidents,” he concluded.