Photo by Urbanandsport/NurPhoto via Getty Images

A risky move for a manager who had the chance to leave on his own terms A lot changed for Barcelona over the past few months.
The team was in disarray to start the year. We shouldn?t forget that.
2023 ended with Barcelona on a steep decline, struggling for a result against every opponent across all competitions.
Antwerp got the better of them, winning 3-2 to close out the Champions League group stage.
They crashed out of the Spanish Supercopa after a 4-1 shocker by Real Madrid.
In the Copa del Rey, they limped past teams no one has ever heard of. Barbastro" Unionistas" Finally, they were knocked out by cup winners Athletic Club in the quarterfinals.

Photo by Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Domestically, they dropped points to bottom of the table teams in Villarreal and Granada, and barely got past last place Almeria.
Let?s not even talk about the December friendly against Club America (they lost 3-2).
Why bring all that up now"
Because it?s easy to forget the whole picture in the world of professional football that is such a short-term memory.
When Xavi announced he would step down at the end of the season, criticism of the manager in the media, and among many fans, was reaching a fever pitch.
From Xavi?s perspective, I don?t think he was trying to pull some genius mind game with his players. I think his intention really was to walk away. From a...