Mess between Barça, the Legends and Xavi Hernández
The promoter of the last Blaugrana legends match dreamed of bringing together the Egarenc with Busquets and Iniesta in Seoul
BarcelonaThe interview that Xavi Hernández gave to La Vanguardia during the last electoral campaign bothered Joan Laporta, who was running for re-election, and Alejandro Echevarría, his right-hand man without a position at Barça. The former blaugrana coach had remained silent since his turbulent departure from the club, after having been ratified in his position at a press conference in which Laporta even shed tears the day after the sushi night to end up firing him. Xavi ended up parting ways with the president-elect and with Echevarría, who, although in 2021 he was the main supporter of his return, the coach also considers him one of the architects of his dismissal. Basically, he felt betrayed by him.
Since his departure, Xavi had maintained a discreet profile, although the rift became evident in some episodes such as the farewell event for Andrés Iniesta, where he sat away from Laporta and the president's inner circle. To smooth over tensions and ensure his Barcelonismo was not questioned, the former coach did make an approach to his successor in the role, Hansi Flick, and invited him to his home in Barcelona. Beyond that, the only relationship Xavi had maintained with the blaugrana entity was through Barça Legends, the team of illustrious veterans of the entity that periodically plays matches around the world with economic – for both players and the club – and publicity benefits.
Between December 2024 and March of this year, Xavi had participated in some matches with the Legends. The last encounter was on March 3 in the classic against the Real Madrid legends played in Guadalajara, Mexico. The interview in
La Vanguardia
was published on March 8. In that conversation, the former coach points to Laporta as responsible for Messi's non-return to Barça and for personally failing him. He also says that Echevarría "is above the president". Declarations that did not please those involved in the slightest and which would end up having consequences for Xavi.
Mess with the match in Seoul
Towards the end of the season, around the time Barça was proclaimed League champions, the promotion of the Barça Legends matches contacted the former coach's circle to tell him that he was excluded from the team's call-ups, as reported by Catalunya Ràdio and confirmed by ARA. The last list was last week, for a match on Saturday against Liverpool legends in Seoul (South Korea), in which Xavi did not participate.
The club argues that the call-ups for the legends team are subject to change, and from Legends they explain to this newspaper that Xavi himself resigned from the last list because Deco, Bojan, and Echevarría himself also travelled with the team. Barça clarifies that Xavi "is not banned" and that his presence in veteran matches has not been "prohibited". "He continues to be part of this group," they add from Camp Nou.
On the other hand, the version maintained by the former coach's circle is that Barça told him that he would not be able to participate in the match, which he regretted. In fact, the dream of the match promoters was to reunite Xavi with Andrés Iniesta and Sergio Busquets at the Seoul match, with whom he formed the midfield of the best Barça in history. The one from Badia del Vallès was debuting with the Legends shortly after hanging up his boots this past season after three courses at Inter Miami. Recreating this trio on the pitch, for now, will have to wait.