FC Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez is leaving his position at the end of the 2023-24 season. On Tuesday, before the Catalan side’s contest against CA Osasuna, the Spanish tactician spoke with the media and elaborated more on his decision.
One of the questions that Xavi answered was about the stress of being the Barcelona manager. The 44-year-old noted that during his playing career, he saw the toll it took on a person when Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique was at the helm.
“I feel this way,” Xavi told reporters (h/t Mundo Deportivo). “It’s like this. They make you feel worthless every day. Talking with Pep, he already told me. I saw Luis Enrique suffer. We need to reflect. We have a problem with the demands of this position. It feels like you’re risking your life every moment. That’s why I say it’s cruel. There’s no enjoyment in it.”
With Xavi looking to leave, Enrique’s name for a second spell was recently in the rumor mill. According to SPORT’s Jordi Gil, the Barcelona players are keen on having Enrique as Xavi’s replacement for next season.
It seems the locker room at the La Liga side is rooting for the former Spanish national team coach. Enrique’s transfer to Barcelona seems highly improbable since a contract with PSG currently binds him, and it’s doubtful that PSG would be willing to release him.
