Xavi usually knows exactly what to expect in his post-match press conferences, so he would have been aware that an appearance in front of the media after Sunday night’s 3-3 draw at home to 19th-placed Granada, was never going to be easy.
The 44-year-old Barcelona The midfielder is normally fully aware of the various stories circulating in the Catalan media, but on this occasion one particular question caught him off guard.
Xavi was asked about his reaction to an interview with sporting director Deco published in Portuguese media outlet Nascer do Sol. The article quoted Deco as saying that Barca “needs a profound change”, that the club’s “old way has expired” and that it must now “break with the past”.
Xavi took a few seconds to breathe before responding with a question of his own: “But, where did Deco say that?”
He continued: “That’s definitely not what he says to me every day. He has great confidence in our model, with the “Barça DNA”. That’s not what I hear from him, but as you will understand by now, I can’t say more.
Xavi had not been informed of Deco’s interview before entering the press room because Barcelona’s media department was unaware of it. Reports containing his words were published by the Catalan and Spanish media minutes before Xavi spoke and they had a very dramatic effect. It wasn’t just Xavi who was shocked – with at least one first-team player also surprised.
Everyone knows that Barcelona will have a complex task this summer, troubled by various challenges on and off the pitch. Deco goes, for the first time since he began his role last summerplay a fundamental role in shaping the future of the club as decisions are made on how to respond to it.
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Deco’s comments were later edited and Nascer do Sol issued a clarification saying a “mistake” had been made, but the way the interview was first reported put him in almost total opposition to what most fans want to see happen.
During this difficult season, many Barca fans have at least taken some pride and comfort from the exciting new generation of young players emerging.
Lamine Yamal, 16, became the youngest player to score twice in a La Liga match on Sunday (Joan Valls/Urbanandsport/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Barça fell 10 points behind real Madrid In the league and were beaten by their rivals in the Spanish Super Cup final. In the King’s Cup, they were eliminated by Athletic Bilbao in the quarter-finals. Next Wednesday, they will play their Champions League round of 16 first leg against Naples and few would consider Xavi’s team capable of winning European football’s greatest trophy.
But the progress of a 16 year old Lamine Yamal was a marvel to see. Paul Cubarsi entered the center of defense and celebrated his 17th birthday last month. Fermin Lopez20-year-old, had some great times during his first full senior season – not to mention the lingering expectations around what Pedri21 years old, and Gavi19 years old, will end up contributing to the club.
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Many supporters believe that if there is one big lesson to be learned from the 2023-24 season, it is that Barca must trust their La Masia youth academy more than ever.
Barca fans may have to learn to be patient to fully realize their condition. There will always be tension if the club doesn’t challenge for titles, but no one wants to give up on having fun, even if it means mistakes will be made. Many believe the best way to progress is to emphasize the possession-oriented style that has been crucial to the club’s on-pitch identity, a style that is taught across age groups.
Before being clarified, Deco’s comments gave the impression that the club’s management saw things differently. The former Portugal international was named by president Joan Laporta as one of the main figures involved in selecting Xavi’s replacement. As his title suggests, Deco is a key voice in shaping Barca’s vision.
Laporta and Deco have already made it known that they are working on signings for next season, even without Xavi’s successor. “We will try to sign João Cancelo And Joao Felix for next season,” Deco said last week in an interview with Catalan newspaper La Vanguardia, comments which were echoed by Laporta.
This also helps explain why Deco’s interview sparked such a reaction. Joao Felix and Cancelo simply haven’t offered any solid reasons to suggest they could be long-term solutions for the club. They have both been inconsistent, with Joao Felix losing his starting spot before injuring his ankle two weeks ago and Cancelo becoming a defensive liability easily exploited by the opposing attack.
Deco, right, at Joao Cancelo’s inauguration (Getty Images)
On Sunday evening, Barca reacted quickly, fully aware of the urgency of the situation as soon as Deco’s interview began appearing in local media. They said they planned to have Deco speak publicly the next day to clarify his comments, as he had no intention of questioning the Barcelona model or suggesting he wanted to move away from it. in the future.
The Catalan media woke up on Monday expecting some sort of statement from the sporting director, but hours passed without any sign.
Later that day, the Nascer do Sol website republished an edited version of Deco’s original interview, removing controversial words and adding a “clarifying” note, “apologizing” for a “misunderstanding.”
The note continues: “It is not Deco’s desire to change the method or paradigm of the club (Barcelona), but it was Xavi who indicated this path by announcing his resignation. Deco completely agrees with the president of the club on the subject raised, as he was keen to point out.
After this comment, Barcelona decided not to make Deco speak publicly and let the waters calm on their own.
The club, and Deco himself, managed to overcome the controversy caused this weekend, but the whole experience will remain in the minds of all Barça fans – the idea of ripping up the club’s model was the last something they wanted to hear right now. .
(Top photo: David S Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images)
