Xavi has been given an ultimatum: Next matches crucial for his future
18 Oct 2022•Football![Xavi has been given an ultimatum: Next matches crucial for his future](https://blog.betfinal.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1920,height=1280,fit=scale-down,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none/https://blog.betfinal.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/FC-Barcelona.jpg)
Nervousness at FC Barcelona. According to local media reports, the club is thinking of firing Xavi. The Spaniard was given an ultimatum. This is a crucial fact that might have repercussions for the remainder of the tournament and beyond!
![barcelona](https://blog.betfinal.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=225,height=225,fit=scale-down,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none/https://blog.betfinal.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/barcelona.jpeg)
It was not the best week for FC Barcelona. In the fourth round of the Champions League encounter, “Blaugrana” tied at home against Inter Milan 3:3, which practically means saying ‘goodbye’ to the Champions League already at the group stage level.
A few days later, Barcelona lost in El Clasico to Real Madrid 1: 3. Many fans and experts accused the players of poor performance and Xavi of making bad decisions, including his player selection for the starting lineup.
Rumours about Xavi are circulating
![Xavi](https://blog.betfinal.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=300,height=200,fit=scale-down,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none/https://blog.betfinal.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Xavi.jpg)
Catalan journalist Joan Fontes reports that the club’s authorities are unhappy with how things are going and are already thinking about making a coaching change.
What’s more, it is said that Xavi was given an ultimatum – according to the journalist, the Spaniard must win the next two league games against Villarreal CF on October 20th and Athletic Club on October 23rd, to keep his job.
Fontes also noted that it’s Ernesto Valverde’s army which might decide Xavi’s future. The former Barcelona coach who leads the Basque Country team now – Athletic Bilbao.
What’s next? What’s the prediction?
The club is considering the worst-case scenario and is already looking around for new candidates to cover Barcelona’s manager position. According to the journalist, Thomas Tuchel and Marcelo Gallardo are the current main candidates.
Tuchel has been unemployed since September this year when he was fired from Chelsea London. Gallardo, in turn, decided not to extend his expiring contract with River Plate (valid until the end of 2022) and leave the club after eight years.
Xavi has had 50 official games as Barcelona coach and won just 56% of them. The worst result since 2003 and Frank Rijkaard. So, what’s next for the former Al-Sadd coach? Is playing on all fronts, Champions League, Primera Division and all the internal competitions going to turn out too much for the Blaugrana boys?
All this makes the Barcelona match predictions even more exciting. So get ready for the upcoming games:
FC Barcelona vs Villarreal – Thursday, October 20th
and
FC Barcelona vs Athletic Bilbao – Sunday, October 23rd
Follow all the blog’s news and information about La Liga and the Champions League, football betting tips and predictions. Have fun and bet wisely at betfinal.com – the best betting site in the world.
Current La Liga standings
GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Form | PPG | last 8 | CS | FTS | ||
1 | Real Madrid | 9 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 22 | 8 | +14 | 25 | 2.78 | 2.75 | 11% | 0% | |
2 | FC Barcelona | 9 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 21 | 4 | +17 | 22 | 2.44 | 2.63 | 78% | 11% | |
3 | Atletico Madrid | 9 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 15 | 7 | +8 | 19 | 2.11 | 2.00 | 44% | 11% | |
4 | Real Betis | 9 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 6 | +7 | 19 | 2.11 | 2.00 | 44% | 22% | |
5 | Real Sociedad | 9 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 15 | 12 | +3 | 19 | 2.11 | 2.00 | 33% | 0% | |
6 | Athletic Bilbao | 9 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 17 | 6 | +11 | 17 | 1.89 | 2.00 | 44% | 33% | |
7 | Villarreal | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 12 | 3 | +9 | 15 | 1.67 | 1.50 | 67% | 44% | |
8 | Valencia | 9 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 16 | 10 | +6 | 14 | 1.56 | 1.38 | 22% | 22% | |
9 | Osasuna | 9 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 10 | -1 | 13 | 1.44 | 1.25 | 22% | 33% | |
10 | Rayo Vallecano | 9 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 10 | 12 | -2 | 11 | 1.22 | 1.25 | 33% | 33% | |
11 | Celta Vigo | 9 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 10 | 16 | -6 | 10 | 1.11 | 1.13 | 33% | 22% | |
12 | Mallorca | 9 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 10 | -3 | 9 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 33% | 33% | |
13 | Espanyol | 9 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 12 | 16 | -4 | 9 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 22% | 11% | |
14 | Sevilla FC | 9 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 9 | 14 | -5 | 9 | 1.00 | 1.13 | 11% | 22% | |
15 | Girona | 9 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 12 | 15 | -3 | 8 | 0.89 | 1.00 | 0% | 22% | |
16 | Getafe | 9 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 8 | 16 | -8 | 8 | 0.89 | 1.00 | 33% | 44% | |
17 | Valladolid | 9 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 14 | -8 | 8 | 0.89 | 1.00 | 22% | 56% | |
18 | Almeria | 9 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 8 | 15 | -7 | 7 | 0.78 | 0.88 | 0% | 44% | |
19 | Cadiz | 9 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 17 | -13 | 6 | 0.67 | 0.75 | 22% | 67% | |
20 | Elche | 9 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 21 | -15 | 3 | 0.33 | 0.38 | 0% | 44% |
GF: Goals For, GA: Goals Against, PPG: Points Per Game, Last 8: PPG last 8 matches, CS: Clean Sheets, FTS: Failed To Score