Xavi Pascual has decided to leave Barça

BarcelonaTired of Barça's unfulfilled 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 club when the season ends. The decision has been made.

"I'm only focused on the team. If there's anything to say, we'll talk at the end of the season. I can't 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, as they had assured him of signing a center and reacting to any serious injury. Neither of these moves has been made.

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 see a clear path to creating 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 certainty.

Dubai Basketball does not confirm Pascual's signing and assures that it will only speak about 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 contemplates the figure of Xavi Pascual to lead the project that is being worked on jointly." As the general manager of the section, Joan Carles Navarro, already stated on April 10 in Monaco, they do not see "a future without Xavi Pascual." The club, moreover, categorically and unequivocally denied having met with Ibón Navarro or any other coach for the immediate future. The Unicaja coach and Vassilis Spanoulis, without a team since he resigned from Monaco, are the two favorites to occupy the culé bench.

The culé basketball section is going through a very delicate moment. Josep Cubells, the responsible director, left through the back door and Cisco Pujol landed there 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. Rafa Yuste, acting president, met with the coach to try to rectify the situation, without success.

Since Barça decided not to renew Sarunas Jasikevicius and reduce the budget, the blaugrana team has ceased to be competitive. Neither Roger Grimau nor Joan Peñarroya could 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 blaugrana coach last November. The coach encouraged the culé team by winning ten consecutive games in the League, but the team gradually lost momentum.

Uncertain final stretch

Barça, who are third in the Liga Endesa with 23 wins and 9 losses, will close the regular season playing against MoraBanc Andorra and Valencia Basket. After that, the play-offs for the title will be disputed by the blaugrana team. The culé team could not access the quarter-finals of the Euroleague.