Xavi Pascual has decided to leave Barça

BarcelonaTired of Barça's broken promises and tempted by a lucrative offer from Dubai Basketball, Xavi Pascual has decided to pay his release clause of 300,000 euros and leave the blaugrana club at the end of the season. The decision has been made.

"I am only focused on the team. If there is anything to say, we will talk about it at the end of the season. I cannot control the rumors that come out, many things are being said," explained Xavi Pascual after Sunday's game. The coach from Gavà is very unhappy with Barça's unfulfilled promises, who had assured him the signing of a center and a reaction in case of any serious injury. Neither of these moves has materialized.

The negotiations to build next season's team have not been successful, as some players the coach considered key have already committed to other teams and the club does not foresee the creation of a contingency fund. Pascual considers the signings of Moses Wright, Josh Nebo, and Olivier Nkamhoua, as well as the offer to Mike James, to be insufficient. The Catalan is very disappointed, and those close to him consider his departure a done deal.

Dubai Basketball does not confirm Pascual's signing and assures that it will only speak about new additions when the season ends, but recalls that both Panathinaikos and Hapoel Tel Aviv are also interested in signing the Catalan coach.

Barça issued a statement on Friday to clarify that it "only considers Xavi Pascual's figure to lead the project that is being worked on jointly." As the section's general manager, Joan Carles Navarro, already stated on April 10 in Monaco, “I don't see a future without Xavi Pascual.” The club also categorically and unequivocally denied having met with Ibón Navarro or any other coach for the immediate future.

The culé basketball section is going through a very delicate moment. Josep Cubells, the responsible director, left through the back door and Cisco Pujol arrived as the maximum responsible. At least until Joan Laporta takes office, which will be effective on July 1. Joan Carles Navarro (general manager), Bruno Fernández (sporting director), and Jordi Trias (support for the sporting area and institutional representative) have not spoken publicly for days.

Since Barça decided not to renew Sarunas Jasikevicius and to reduce the budget, the blaugrana team has ceased to be competitive. Neither Roger Grimau nor Joan Peñarroya were able to win important titles, and the effect of Xavi Pascual's arrival has proven insufficient. The club's poor economic situation, forced to follow Javier Tebas's demands, has conditioned the planning of the basketball section.

Pascual, the great hero of Barça's second Euroleague, began his second spell as a blaugrana coach last November. The coach encouraged the culé team to win ten consecutive games in the League, but the team gradually lost momentum.

Uncertain final stretch

Barça, currently in third place in the Liga Endesa with 23 wins and 9 losses, will close the regular season playing against MoraBanc Andorra and Valencia Basket. Afterwards, the 'azulgrana' team will dispute the play-offs for the title. The 'culé' team could not access the quarterfinals of the Euroleague.