Steve McManaman stated that Barcelona, a club currently in crisis, has treated Xavi very poorly, following the announcement that the Catalan will be leaving.

TNT Sports expert Steve McManaman, a former player for Real Madrid, has expressed his belief that Barcelona manager Xavi has been treated poorly and will step down from his position at the end of the season.

Despite winning the league and Supercopa last season, Barcelona has struggled this term and currently sit third in La Liga. Xavi has had to deal with financial difficulties and unrest within the boardroom during his time as manager.

McManaman, speaking before Barcelona’s UEFA Champions League match against Napoli, was shocked by how badly Xavi has been treated by the club. He mentioned the financial crisis Barcelona is facing and Xavi’s heartbreaking announcement in front of the press that he would be leaving. McManaman believes Xavi has not received the support he needed from club president Joan Laporta. He also mentioned the appointment of Deco, a former agent, as the sporting director and the signing of players that Xavi did not want, all on free contracts.

Despite the challenges, McManaman believes Xavi has overachieved as Barcelona manager. He took over when the team was in a mid-table position and led them to second place. He also guided them back into the Champions League. McManaman praised Xavi for winning the league last year and the Supercopa, beating Real Madrid in Saudi Arabia. Currently, Barcelona is third in the league, chasing down Girona. McManaman feels that Xavi has been treated unfairly.

Xavi’s Barcelona side is currently eight points behind league leaders Real Madrid in the La Liga title race, with surprise package Girona also ahead of them. McManaman and fellow TNT Sports expert Glenn Hoddle agree that top managerial candidates would not consider taking over from Xavi due to the financial difficulties and lack of support he has faced.

McManaman explained that Barcelona’s financial situation is a disaster, with La Liga cutting their finances by two-thirds next year. This means they won’t be able to pay many players or make any new signings. Xavi has been given players he didn’t want, such as Joao Cancelo and Joao Felix. He has had to rely on younger players and has seen his best players, Gavi and Pedri, get injured due to their heavy workload.

Due to the lack of support from the club, Xavi is expected to leave, which McManaman finds sad. He believes that any manager with a good reputation would not want to take the job because Barcelona is likely to decline further. He suggests that Rafa Marquez, the manager of Barcelona B, may take over, but the club will face years of financial difficulties.

Hoddle agrees with McManaman’s assessment and believes that top managers may not make themselves available for Barcelona at this time. He acknowledges Xavi’s achievements but feels that it is the wrong time for him to be in charge. However, Hoddle emphasizes that this does not make Xavi a bad coach.