Former Barcelona boss Ronald Koeman has shown his support for Xavi after the Spaniard announced he would resign as manager in the summer.
Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
Koeman called job "an attack on mental health"Xavi has previously complained about pressureSet to leave Barcelona at the end of the seasonWHAT HAPPENED?
Xavi has been vocal about the stress of the Barcelona job in recent weeks. The former Bluagrana midfielder announced that he will leave the post at the end of the season, and has spoken candidly about the job as a result.
AdvertisementWHAT RONALD KOEMAN SAID
Koeman, Xavi's predecessor, admitted that he found the job equally taxing. He revealed as such in an interview with : "Being Barca coach is an attack on mental health. It is much more fun to be a Barcelona player than a coach, and Xavi, as a Catalan and son of the club, has surely noticed it. It's the hardest job I've ever done."
WHAT XAVI SAID
Koeman's comments follow a series of incendiary remarks from Xavi, who showed little hesitation in crticising the club culture: "It is a mental and football issue. Failures make the team weaker and the players lower their level. The football level drops due to the mental level. That's why [I have made] the announcement of my departure. Furthermore, I believe that our work is not valued enough. I had already decided on it a long time ago, since the beginning of the season."
(C)Getty imagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Nine months after winning La Liga, the Blaugrana are firmly out of this season's title race. Xavi's side find themselves in third, eight points behind league leaders Real Madrid. Koeman was removed from the position in November 2021.