And so on Wednesday night, three days after any lingering hopes of winning the league were extinguished, eight days after being knocked out of Europe again, 88 after announcing he was leaving and calling it a "liberation", he decided that he would continue after all. Ultimately, he just could not let go and nor could they.
"I have no problem changing my mind," Xavi said yesterday. When he had said he was leaving on 27 January, Barcelona had just conceded five at home for the first time in 60 years, a defeat he described as a portrait of their season: self-inflicted and absurd, a complete collapse. He had previously linked his continuity to trophies, the first law of coaching; beaten 5-3 by Villarreal, they were 10 points off the top. They had also lost to Real Madrid in the Super Cup final and to Athletic in the Copa del Rey quarters, conceding four in each. Besides, it went deeper than defeats.
He told friends that being coach of Barcelona was no life, that there was no sense in continuing. He was going, but not just yet. He would see out the job to the end of the season and then walk away. Joan Laporta said it was a formula he accepted only because it is Xavi and Xavi is a legend. Which is not to say that the president might not bring it to an early end and there have been moments when that option has been contemplated, even close. The decision was irreversible, Xavi said. Even if they won the Champions League, he was going.
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