Former FC Barcelona coach Xavi Hernández has offered a candid reflection on his time in charge of the Catalan giants, admitting that lowering his initial standards ultimately contributed to the team’s struggles in his final season.
Speaking about his managerial stint, Xavi said he began his coaching journey at Barcelona with extremely high expectations for both players and the club, especially following a period where demands had dropped. “I started my coaching career at Barça with high demands for the players and the club, as it was coming out of a period where there weren’t many demands,” he explained.
Xavi, who guided Barcelona to the La Liga title and the Spanish Super Cup in the 2022–23 season, revealed that his biggest mistake was failing to maintain those standards after early success. “My biggest mistake was that I maintained these high standards just for a year, from the time I arrived until we won La Liga and the Super Cup,” he admitted.
