According to the Tot Costa program on Catalunya Radio, FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta and sporting director Deco were not happy with head coach Xavi Hernandez’s starting lineup against Rayo Vallecano over the weekend.
The board has questioned Xavi’s starting lineup before, as the show’s journalists clarified in the same broadcast. According to AS, this is “part of a scenario in which there seems to be some distrust from the president and the sporting director” with the manager and his staff.After a 1-1 draw in Vallecas this past weekend, Barcelona dropped to fourth place in La Liga.In the fight for their home title, they are currently four points behind leaders Real Madrid.
Before facing Porto in the Champions League that day, Xavi gave a pre-game press conference during which he expressed his confidence that Laporta and Deco would support him wholeheartedly.Tot Costa disclosed, though, that Laporta was dissatisfied with the lineup that Xavi chose because he had anticipated seeing regular starters start against Rayo.
The same source stated that Xavi’s former teammate, sporting director Deco, anticipated seeing players like Ronald Araujo, Ilkay Gundogan, and Joao Felix in the mix and not rested for the crucial matchup against a different Porto team the Portuguese had previously represented.Before facing Porto in the Champions League that day, Xavi gave a pre-game press conference during which he expressed his confidence that Laporta and Deco would support him wholeheartedly. Tot Costa disclosed, though, that Laporta was dissatisfied with the lineup that Xavi chose because he had anticipated seeing regular starters start against Rayo. The same source stated that Xavi’s former teammate, sporting director Deco, anticipated seeing players like Ronald Araujo, Ilkay Gundogan, and Joao Felix in the mix and not rested for the crucial matchup against a different Porto team the Portuguese had previously represented.