Barcelona parts ways with Xavi one month after coach reversed decision to step down

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — First, he wanted out. Then he wanted to stay. Finally, Barcelona decided enough is enough and parted ways with coach Xavi Hernandez.

One month after Xavi said he would continue as coach despite a disappointing season, the club told the former midfield great it did not want him back.

In the latest and most likely final twist to a bumpy season, Barcelona announced on Friday that it was making a coaching change for next season.

The club made the announcement after a meeting between club president Joan Laporta, Xavi and other senior figures at the team training ground. Laporta “informed Xavi Hernández that he will not be continuing as first team coach in the 2024-25 season,” the club said.

Xavi led Barcelona to the Spanish league title last season but his team has struggled this campaign, which will finish without a title and a distant second to champion Real Madrid.

Xavi said in January he wanted to leave the club this summer and not complete the last year of his contract. In April, the 44-year-old Xavi changed his mind after his players showed him they believed in the team’s potential and improved their performances.

During the interlude when it seemed Xavi was the one who wanted out, Barcelona sports director Deco said the club was not looking for a new coach. And when Xavi said he was going to stay, an emotional Laporta gave a news conference with his coach to tell Barcelona fans they must be “proud” to have Xavi in charge.

But Laporta was reportedly displeased by Xavi’s recent comments that Barcelona’s poor financial situation would make it nearly impossible to compete against Real Madrid and Europe’s other top clubs.

After the rumors started in local media that Laporta was considering firing the former midfielder, Xavi said he was motivated to continue coaching his boyhood team and was convinced he could still help it win titles.

As recently as last weekend, Xavi said, “I have the support of the president and Deco, our sports director.”

Xavi bade farewell to Barcelona fans on his Instagram page. He had no ill words for Laporta and thanked the executive, players and staff for their support.

“Beyond being a player and coach, first and foremost I am a Barça supporter and I only want the best for the club,” he wrote. “This season has not gone the way we would have liked, but we gave it our all and helped foster a new generation of players from La Masia (training academy) that have thrilled our fans.”

Spanish and German media speculated former Bayern Munich coach Hansi Flick as Xavi’s replacement.

As a player, Xavi left Barcelona in 2015 after helping the club win 25 titles, including four Champions Leagues and eight Spanish leagues. He was also key to Spain’s streak of titles when it won the 2010 World Cup and European Championships in 2008 and 2012.

Laporta brought Xavi back from his only prior coaching job in Qatar in November 2021 to lead his rebuilding project of a club that had just lost Messi amid a financial crisis.

The following summer, the club sold off future television revenues and other club assets, which Laporta dubbed financial “levers,” to sign Robert Lewandowski and other players. Xavi was able to win the club's first titles since Messi's departure and the future looked bright.

This season, however, Barcelona lost all three clasicos against Madrid and was thumped twice by upstart Catalan rival Girona, losing both of their league matchups 4-2. It also lost in the quarterfinals of the Champions League and the Copa del Rey.

Whoever takes over for Xavi will have the tricky task of managing a team with bright young talents like Lamine Yamal, Pau Cubarsí, Fermin López and the injured Gavi Páez but very limited financial resources.

After flirting with bankruptcy under Laporta's predecessor, Barcelona is still struggling financially and has had its salary cap greatly reduced in recent seasons. It can only spend some 204 million euros ($221 million) on players and coaching staff, including salaries and transfer payments, compared to Madrid’s 727 million euros ($788 million).

Barcelona has tried to sell Netherlands midfielder Frenkie de Jong and is likely to look to shed salaries. So it is not unthinkable that Lewandowski or goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen could be for sale.

Xavi’s last game in charge will be on Sunday at Sevilla on the final day of the league.

Sevilla coach Quique Sánchez Flores said on Friday he would give Xavi “a big hug” when their teams meet.

“I shouldn’t say this," Sánchez Flores said, "but look how poorly Barcelona treats its club legends."

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

FILE - Barcelona's head coach Xavi Hernandez celebrates after the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Atletico Madrid at the Olimpic Lluis Companys stadium in Barcelona, Spain, on Dec. 3, 2023. Barcelona says coach Xavi Hernandez is leaving the club at the end of the season. The Spanish club made the announcement Friday May 24, 2024 after a meeting between club president Joan Laporta, Xavi and several other senior figures at the team's training ground. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort, File)

FILE - Barcelona's head coach Xavi Hernandez looks out onto the pitch before a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Betis and Barcelona at the Benito Villamarin stadium in Seville, Spain, on Jan. 21, 2024. Barcelona says coach Xavi Hernandez is leaving the club at the end of the season. The Spanish club made the announcement Friday May 24, 2024 after a meeting between club president Joan Laporta, Xavi and several other senior figures at the team's training ground. (AP Photo/Jose Breton, File)

Barcelona's head coach Xavi Hernandez, center, gives instructions during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Rayo Vallecano at the Olimpic Lluis Companys stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, May 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — Lauren Coughlin held onto the lead Friday in the CPKC Women’s Open, while Canadian star Brooke Henderson was derailed by closing bogeys at windy and smokey Earl Grey Golf Club.

Coughlin followed her opening 4-under 68 on Thursday in chilly and windy conditions with a 70 on Friday to get to 6 under, a stroke ahead of Hannah Green and Haeran Ryu. The temperature made it into the 70s after barely climbing into the 60s on Thursday.

“I think I handled it really well overall,” Coughlin said. “It was just really difficult to judge how far the ball was going to go with the wind and the crosswind and how firm the greens got. And they had some tough pins, especially considering the direction of the wind.”

Playing through a smokey haze from wildfires, Henderson bogeyed the final four holes in her afternoon round for a 73 that left her seven strokes back at 1 over. She won the 2018 tournament.

“Most of the day I was 3 under, so feeling pretty great,” Henderson said. “To walk away 1 over, that’s not the best feeling. But all you can do is move forward and try to learn from some of the things you did out there.”

Coughlin is coming off a fourth-place finish two weeks ago in France in the major Evian Champions. The 31-year-old former University of Virginia player is winless on the LPGA Tour.

On Friday, she had three front-none birdies and dropped a stroke on the par-4 11th. In two rounds, she's 7 under on the first nine holes and 1 over on the second nine.

“I putted extremely well,” Coughlin said. “Two-putted really well all day. Took advantage of the front nine, which you have to, and then kind of hold on on the back nine.”

Green matched Coughlin with a 70. The Australian is a two-time winner this year, taking the HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore in February and the JM Eagle LA Championship in April.

“It was tough again out there,” Green said. “There was some pretty strong wind gusts, especially our last few holes, so committing to the shot you were envisioning was kind of difficult.”

Ryu bogeyed the 18th for 69.

“The weather is really bad,” Ryu said. “Is a little bit cold and so windy.”

The 23-year-old South Korean player won the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship last year for her first LPGA Tour title. She was second last week in Ohio in the Dana Open.

Three-time champion Lydia Ko had a 71 to join second-ranked Lilia Vu (70) and Jennifer Kupcho (72) at 3 under. Ko won as an amateur in 2012 at age 15, successfully defended her title as an amateur in 2013 and won as a professional in 2015.

“It’s not easy — and I think the scores are showing,” Ko said. “Anything kind of under par the past couple days is a really solid round. I’m pretty happy with the way I started this week.”

Kupcho topped the leaderboard at 8 under after birdieing five of the first eight holes in her morning round, then was 5 over the rest of the way. She had a double bogey on the par-4 16th, four bogeys and a birdie on her final nine holes.

“I’m pretty upset,” Kupcho said. “I think in hindsight I still hit 15 greens. Like I was hitting the ball really good. Three-putted 10 and 11 and four-putted 16. I didn’t play bad. Just had a couple shaky putts down the stretch — and that’s going to happen.”

Lexi Thompson was in the group with Henderson tied for 26th at 1 over after a 73 The American plans to play a limited schedule after this season.

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Lexi Thompson, of the United States, chips on the first hole during the second round at the LPGA Canadian Women's Open golf tournament in in Calgary, Alberta, Friday, July 26, 2024. (Jeff McIntosh /The Canadian Press via AP)

Jennifer Kupcho, of the United States, watches her tee shot on the fifteenth hole during the second round at the LPGA Canadian Women's Open golf tournament in in Calgary, Alberta, Friday, July 26, 2024. (Jeff McIntosh /The Canadian Press via AP)

Jennifer Kupcho, of the United States, lines up a putt on the fourteenth green during the second round at the LPGA Canadian Women's Open golf tournament in in Calgary, Alberta, Friday, July 26, 2024. (Jeff McIntosh /The Canadian Press via AP)

New Zealand's Lydia Ko hits a tee shot on the first hole during the second round at the LPGA Canadian Women's Open golf tournament in in Calgary, Alberta, Friday, July 26, 2024. (Jeff McIntosh /The Canadian Press via AP)

Korea's Haeran Ryu hits a tee shot on the fourth hole during the second round at the LPGA Canadian Women's Open golf tournament in Calgary, Alberta, Friday, July 26, 2024. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)

Canada's Brooke Henderson hits a tee shot on the second hole during the second round at the LPGA Canadian Women's Open golf tournament in Calgary, Alberta, Friday, July 26, 2024. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)

Lauren Coughlin, of the United States, hits from the fairway on the sixth hole during the second round at the LPGA Canadian Women's Open golf tournament in Calgary, Alberta, Friday, July 26, 2024. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)

Lauren Coughlin, of the United States, hits a tee shot on the seventh hole during the second round at the LPGA Canadian Women's Open golf tournament in Calgary, Alberta, Friday, July 26, 2024. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)