"If we don't win, as the president said, there will be consequences" - Xavi admits he could be sacked if Barcelona fail to win trophies this season
Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez has commented on his future after coming under fire following his teams's poor performances and results in recent games. The tactician has admitted that he could face the sack if the Blaugrana fail to win silverware this season.
Xavi's men need a miracle to qualify for the UEFA Champions League knockouts after failing to beat Bayern Munich and Inter Milan in their last three games. To exacerbate matters, the Blaugrana also conceded top spot in La Liga to Real Madrid following their 3-1 loss to the defending champions in the El Clasico last weekend.
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As things stand, the Blaugrana have won only one of their last four games across competitions and Xavi is feeling the heat. During a press conference ahead of his team's La Liga clash with Villareal tomorrow (October 20), the tactician admitted that he could face the sack if he fails to deliver the goods.
"Of course I would, but no one has said anything to me," Xavi said, as quoted by ESPN. "This is Barca. With the effort made by the club (in the transfer market) and the squad we have, we have to compete for trophies. And if we don't win, as the president said, there will be consequences, starting with me."
After acknowledging that he's walking on thin ice, Xavi pledged to give everything to try to turn the situation around. He remains positive over the club's chances of achieving success this season, saying:
"I am going to give everything so that this works. At any moment I could lose the club's support, tomorrow even. This is football. We lost against Madrid; we're almost out of (the Champions League), but I am always positive," he added.
🎙 Xavi: "I'm going to give my all to change our situation" https://t.co/EogE7C9WI3
Failing to win trophies could have consequences, not only on Xavi but also on the entire Barcelona board. The Blaugrana sold part of their assets to raise funds and rebuild the squad in the summer.
Failure to claim silverware will not only bring financial repercussions but also make the club a laughing stock in European football. It remains to be seen if Xavi can turn a corner before it gets too late.
Where have things gone wrong for Xavi and Barcelona?
Xavi's men were doing quite well in the early days of the season and looked like a team ready to fight for silverware. However, things quickly changed for the worse after the Blaugrana lost many key players to injuries during the recent international break.
With Ronald Araujo, Jules Kounde, Andreas Christensen, Ousmane Dembele, Franck Kessie, Hector Bellerin, Sergi Roberto, Frenkie de Jong and Memphis Depay picking up knocks, the Blaugrana have become mere shadows of themselves. They're yet to return to their top level despite having some of the players back.
Barcelona trail Madrid (25) by three points after nine games. Meanwhile, things look bleaker in the Champions League, as they trail second-placed Inter Milan (7) with two games remaining as another season in the Europa League beckons.