Raphael Honigstein warns that potential unrest from Xavi at Barcelona may harm their chances in the Champions League.

In a shocking turn of events, Xavi Hernandez has declared that he will be departing from his role as head coach of Barcelona at the end of the season. This decision could potentially have a detrimental impact on the team’s chances in the UEFA Champions League, as noted by Raphael Honigstein, a renowned German football journalist and pundit on the TNT Sports Goals Show.

Honigstein emphasized the significant decline Barcelona has experienced in recent months, especially when compared to their impressive 5-0 victory over Royal Antwerp at the start of the campaign. “When they had all their players available, even in the first Champions League game against relatively easy opposition in Antwerp, they played exactly how Xavi would have envisioned Barcelona to play,” Honigstein stated during an interview with TNT Sports.

He further elaborated on the team’s performance, highlighting their exceptional movement, positional play, and creativity in the final third. Players like Joao Felix, Robert Lewandowski, and Ilkay Gundogan showcased their immense talent and contributed to Barcelona’s success. However, Honigstein lamented that the team has now become dysfunctional, with the manager providing various reasons in press conferences to justify his desire to leave.

Despite their struggles, Barcelona will face Napoli in the last 16 of the Champions League. The Italian champions have also encountered their fair share of difficulties throughout the season, currently sitting 22 points behind league leaders Inter Milan in the Serie A standings. The first leg of the tie will take place at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on February 21, followed by the second leg at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys on March 12.

Honigstein believes that despite the challenges faced by both teams, this last 16 clash will offer plenty of entertainment for football fans. “These two sides have big issues,” he explained. “But for the neutrals, it’s going to be amazing because we’ll see goals. I think it’s going to be one of the most entertaining ties of this round.