Xavi's Barcelona reign so far: U-turn confirmed

Barca's LaLiga-winning coach has dramatically decided to change his mind and remain at the club

Transcript

00:00 I'll try to be brief and explain the main reasons for this change of direction, this decision change.

00:08 Well, you know I'm very Barcelona fanatic, thanks for the words.

00:13 I always try to do my best for the club, I'm a club man, you know that.

00:28 He's lived moments as a player where we've had difficult situations,

00:34 then we've achieved great things, we've won nothing with a great team,

00:40 and then we've won everything by playing very good football.

00:44 So he knows perfectly well what to do, and you have to give him time and confidence.

00:50 Barcelona has to go up, and the talent there is, from the more veteran people,

00:54 with the generation of young players we have, I'm optimistic, but we'll see.

01:00 For me as a coach, it means a lot. I'm a rookie in this, and winning 0-4 at the Bernabeu,

01:07 it strengthens me a lot, for sure. It strengthens the project, the idea of the game, the model of the game,

01:13 and there's no doubt that Barcelona has to compete by playing this way.

01:19 I think we've saved a season that could have been catastrophic.

01:24 Not going to Europe, and the Champions League in this case, would have been catastrophic on a sporting level.

01:30 Personally, if you ask me, it gives me a lot of credibility.

01:39 It happened to me as a player, which was difficult at the beginning,

01:43 for them to believe in me, and as a coach it's happened to me as well.

01:48 So, winning this title gives me credibility, it gives me stability.

01:52 I think the club needs a change of dynamic, and above all, as a club,

01:58 thinking about the club, thinking about the players, thinking about them, I think they'll also free up.

02:15 We have an extraordinary person, with exceptional football knowledge,

02:21 and a culé feeling that he transmits.

02:29 These are the main reasons for the change of decision, not the change of direction.

02:34 And above all, I see myself in strength, I see myself in capacity,

02:40 the staff have also shown me that, and ultimately, for the good of the club.

02:45 I think about the club, I think better about the club, and that's how I understood it in January.

02:49 (dramatic music)

02:51 you