Barcelona have come in for criticism for the way they have treated Xavi, and other club legends, by Sevilla boss Quique Sánchez Flores.
The club have opted to part ways with Xavi just weeks after confirming he would be staying on for another season as manager.
Xavi’s final game in charge will be on Sunday against Sevilla, and Sanchez Flores says he will give his opponent a big hug when he sees him.
“I shouldn’t say this, but how badly Barcelona treats its legends. What a bad streak,” he told reporters.
“With Koeman, with Messi, with Xavi now, how bad. I wish clubs treated their legends well. That would be fantastic. That is a legacy of connection from the managers to the fans. This connects a lot, treating legends well.
“Xavi is a legend of the club. He won the league last season and football has a short memory. He was questioned this year from the first minute. I have doubts that the criticism about him is correct.
“Xavi has experienced many things as a player and has done a good job as a coach. I’ll give him a huge hug, we’ll talk.”
There’s no doubt at all that Barcelona have handled the whole situation badly and it’s really not a good look for Laporta and Co. The club are expected to announce Hansi Flick as Xavi’s successor next week.
Hasibur Rahaman is a passionate sports journalist. He covers everything from cricket to field hockey, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis of sporting events, both within India and on the international stage.
