The disappointment looms large for FC Barcelona as their hopes of clinching the Copa del Rey were dashed with a defeat against Athletic Club at Saint Mamés. Beyond the painful elimination from the tournament, the loss has cast a shadow over Barcelona's prospects of securing any silverware this season. The implications of this setback could potentially impact the tenure of Xavi Hernández as the team's coach.
In La Liga, Barcelona trailed significantly, sitting at least seven points behind Real Madrid and five behind Girona (with a pending match against Osasuna next week). The challenges extend to the Champions League, where the team's irregular form raises doubts about their ability to compete with other top European clubs. Despite these adversities, recent reports suggest that the Barcelona board is not contemplating Xavi's dismissal in the short term. The focus, instead, is on providing stability and allowing Xavi the time and space to guide the team through the league competition over the next four or five weeks, as well as the Champions League clash against Napoli.
Barcelona's leadership believes that Xavi deserves the necessary margin to navigate through the complexities of the current situation. There is no ultimatum for the coach, as the directive values Xavi's potential to change the team's performance positively. Joan Laporta, the club's president, has a history of avoiding mid-season coaching changes, preferring to assess the situation at the end of the season.
Following the defeat at Saint Mamés, Laporta adopted a supportive approach by refraining from entering the locker room. This decision aimed to avoid conveying a sense of reproach or ultimatum and instead focused on encouraging Xavi and the players for the remaining part of the season. Despite the recent setback, Laporta remains confident in Xavi's coaching abilities and expressed optimism by highlighting that the team's performance in Bilbao was highly competitive. The coming weeks will be crucial for Barcelona as they aim to regroup, refocus, and strive for success in domestic and European competitions under Xavi's leadership.
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