Nobody expected this at the beginning of the season: not the fans, not Xavi and not Joan Laporta. And yet it was the club’s president who organized unrespectable sacking of the coach whom he brough in from Qatar in the hour of need. It was revealed before the last game of La Liga’s season that he and his associates agreed everything with the new coach Hansi Flick after they publicly confirmed that Xavi was staying, which gives a sick feeling in every Barca’s fan stomach. That’s not how you treat your coach, especially if he is a legend like Xavi. But the already former Catalan’s coach graciously accepted the sack and led his team for the last time in Seville. He finished his tenure at Camp Nou one year before the end of his contract with a win: Seville – Barcelona 1-2.Xavi Hernández has fielded a starting XI with at least two players under the age of 20, 65 times in LaLiga, at least 41 more times than any other manager in the competition since 2005/06 (Abelardo Fernández, 24).— @OptaJose pic.twitter.com/UG0YDm1uaX— Barça Universal (@BarcaUniversal) May 26, 2024 On the night when another great Spanish footballer Sergio Rarmos was saying goodbye to his club and La Liga, the night was still about Xavi. He will be remembered not only for his title from last season but mainly for his incredible promotion of Blaugrana kids. Not only because he was forced to due to Barca’s financial inability to bring reinforcements but mainly due to the fact that he also played for the club’s academy before becoming a star and he knew that he had the most talented kids in Spain at his disposal. And one of them delivered a victory for his coach tonight. Fermin Lopez scored the winning goal in the 59th minute and then ran over to hug his coach, thanking him for a chance he got, even when the Brazilian Victor Roque arrived as big reinforcement. The first goal was scored by Robert Lewandowski, who finished the season with 19 goals, while En-Nesyri (who else) was the scorer for the home team. Xavi will now have some rest, and he deserves it.
LA LIGA – (FINAL) MATCHDAY 38FridayGirona – Granada 7-0 (3-0)/Garcia 30, Tsygankov 33, 54, Dovbyk 44 pen, 75, 90 pen, Stuani 78/SaturdayOsasuna – Villareal 1-1 (1-0)/Budimir 30 – Morales 57/Sociedad – Atl.Madrid 0-2 (0-1)/Lino 9, Mandava 90+3/Almeria – Cadiz 6-1 (0-1)/Melero 48, Arribas 51, 86, Zaldua 57 og, Suarez 65, 71 – Ocampo 30/Rayo Vallecano – Ath.Bilbao 0-1 (0-0)/N.Williams 67/Real Madrid – Betis 0-0SundayGetafe – Mallorca 1-2 (0-0)/Alvarez 46 – Muriqi 90, Maffeo 90+3/Celta – Valencia 2-2 (0-1)/Aspas 49(p), Douvikas 62 – Dominquez 5(og), Mari 60/Las Palmas – Alaves 1-1 (1-1)/Cardona 71 – Vincente 50/Sevilla – Barcelona 1-2 (1-1)/En-Nesyri 31 – Lewandowski 15, Fermin 59/