BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Coach Xavi Hernández will stay with Barcelona for another year after all, agreeing to finish his contract to 2025 in a reversal of his decision to quit at the end of the season, two people with knowledge of the agreement said Wednesday.
The two people spoke anonymously to The Associated Press because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the deal.
Barcelona was expected to make the decision official on Thursday, when club president Joan Laporta would explain the details about the turnaround.
Spanish media said Xavi met with Laporta and sports director Deco for several hours on Wednesday before agreeing that the coach would stick around instead of leaving as initially planned.
The decision to stay with Xavi came three days after a 3-2 loss to Real Madrid that all but ended the team's chances of winning a title.
The loss in Madrid left Barcelona 11 points behind its rival with six matches remaining in the Spanish league. A week ago, Barcelona was eliminated by Paris Saint-Germain in the quarterfinals of the Champions League.
Xavi had announced that he would not continue after the end of this season following a league loss to Villarreal in January. The club had already been eliminated by Athletic Bilbao in the quarterfinals of the Copa del Rey and lost 4-1 to Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup final.
Xavi said at the time that the decision was made to lower the stress and tension that was surrounding both the team and himself. He said several times afterward that the announcement had the effect he intended, prompting a positive reaction by the squad.
Xavi had repeatedly said recently that he did not intend to go back on his decision to leave at the end of the season.
Barcelona is trying to hold on to second place in the Spanish league. It sits two points ahead of third-place Girona.
Barcelona's next game is Monday at home against Valencia.
AP Sports Writer Tales Azzoni reported from Madrid.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Barcelona's head coach Xavi Hernandez gestures as he attends the start of the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, April 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Barcelona's head coach Xavi Hernandez gestures as he attends the start of the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, April 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Barcelona's head coach Xavi Hernandez gestures during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, April 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Jose Breton)
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Twenty horses stampeding toward the first turn in a battle for position. A screaming crowd of 150,000 and maybe some showers that dampen the Churchill Downs dirt strip.
It's the 150th Kentucky Derby. Beyond a couple early wagering favorites, it's a wide-open race.
Post time is 6:57 p.m. EDT Saturday. The forecast calls for 79 degrees (26 Celsius) and overcast skies with 82% humidity and a 20% chance of scattered showers and thunderstorms. The dirt surface was upgraded to good early in the afternoon after being muddy to start the day's racing.
Fans poured through the gates at Churchill Downs in colorful outfits and large hats with plumage. They lined up to buy mint juleps in souvenir glasses. Cigar smoke curled in the humid air.
Wet weather could benefit six horses that have won in the mud or slop before, including early favorites Fierceness and Sierra Leone. The others with experience on messy surfaces are Dornoch, Just a Touch, Mystik Dan and Society Man.
The Derby will answer the perennial question of which 3-year-old can best handle running 1 1/4 miles in front of the biggest crowd they will ever see and hear.
Fierceness and jockey John Velazquez will break from the No. 17 post, which has never produced a derby winner.
The costliest colt in the 20-horse field is Sierra Leone at $2.3 million.
“A lot of times you buy an expensive horse like that and they can't run,” said Peter Brandt, one of the six owners. “We've very, very lucky he's made it this far. We're looking forward to this race but also looking forward to the future of taking care of this horse.”
Conversely, Larry Demeritte shelled out just $11,000 to buy Saratoga West. The 74-year-old Bahamas native has won 180 races and nearly $5 million in purse money since he started training in 1984. Demeritte is just the second Black trainer since 1951 to saddle a horse for the derby.
“This is truly amazing how we got to this position with this horse,” he said.
The Kentucky Derby winner earns $3.1 million from the record purse of $5 million.
For the second straight year, Japan has two entries: Forever Young and T O Password. The country has never won the race.
This year's race is one for the ages, too. D. Wayne Lukas, the 88-year-old trainer with four Kentucky Derby wins, saddles Just Steel. Frankie Dettori, the famed Italian jockey, is back to ride Society Man at age 53 after a 24-year absence.
Trainer Todd Pletcher, who saddles Fierceness, is in the Kentucky Derby for the 24th year and it never gets old. He's won it twice.
“If anything, it just becomes more nerve-wracking,” he said.
AP horse racing: https://apnews.com/hub/horse-racing
Race fans arrives at Churchill Downs before the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Graphic shows horses in the Kentucky Derby with post positions, silks and odds; with related stories; 6c x 4 inches
A horse gets a bath after a workout at Churchill Downs Thursday, May 2, 2024, in Louisville, Ky. The 150th running of the Kentucky Derby is scheduled for Saturday, May 4. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Kentucky Derby entrant Grand Mo The First gets a bath after a workout at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., May 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
CORRECTS SPELLING OF LAST NAME TO DEMERITTE, NOT DEMERIT AS ORIGINALLY SENT - Trainer Larry Demeritte watches as Kentucky Derby entrant West Saratoga gets a bath after a workout at Churchill Downs Thursday, May 2, 2024, in Louisville, Ky. The 150th running of the Kentucky Derby is scheduled for Saturday, May 4. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Kentucky Derby hopeful Sierra Leone works out at Churchill Downs Wednesday, May 1, 2024, in Louisville, Ky. The 150th running of the Kentucky Derby is scheduled for Saturday, May 4. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Kentucky Derby hopeful Stronghold works out at Churchill Downs Wednesday, May 1, 2024, in Louisville, Ky. The 150th running of the Kentucky Derby is scheduled for Saturday, May 4. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Kentucky Derby entrant Fierceness works out at Churchill Downs Thursday, May 2, 2024, in Louisville, Ky. The 150th running of the Kentucky Derby is scheduled for Saturday, May 4. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
A horse throws up mud on the track at Churchill Downs, Friday, May 3, 2024, in Louisville, Ky. The 150th running of the Kentucky Derby is scheduled for Saturday, May 4. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
A horse comes off the track after a workout at Churchill Downs Wednesday, May 1, 2024, in Louisville, Ky. The 150th running of the Kentucky Derby is scheduled for Saturday, May 4. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
