Ronaldo's Quirky Record: The Own Goal That Messi Can't Break

In the endless debate between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, fans pull out every stat imaginable to prove who's the GOAT. Goals, assists, trophies, you name it, they've compared it. But there's one record Ronaldo holds that Messi hasn't touched, and probably never will. It's not about hat-tricks or Ballon d'Ors. It's about own goals.

Yeah, you read that right.

Back in 2013, during a La Liga match against Granada, Ronaldo accidentally headed the ball into his own net while playing for Real Madrid. It was his first and only own goal in a stellar career. That mishap gave him a bizarre claim to fame: he's the only player in history to score against every team in a top European league in a single calendar year, including his own team.

That year, Ronaldo netted goals against all 19 other La Liga sides, and the own goal counted as "scoring" against Real Madrid. No other player has pulled off this full sweep, own goal included.

Messi, on the other hand, has a spotless record when it comes to own goals: zero. Throughout his career at Barcelona, PSG, Inter Miami, and with Argentina, he's never put one past his own keeper. That's impressive in its own way which is avoiding those defensive blunders while focusing on what he does best: dismantling opponents.

But it also means he can't claim to have "scored" against Barcelona, his lifelong club.

Now, what does this mean for the fans? In the heated Ronaldo vs. Messi rivalry, this stat is pure gold for banter. Ronaldo supporters love throwing it out there as a fun "gotcha" moment like "Hey, CR7 even scores against himself, that's dedication!" It highlights Ronaldo's all-around involvement, including defending set pieces, where own goals can happen.

Messi fans, meanwhile, counter that it's not a real achievement; own goals are mistakes, not milestones and point to Messi's cleaner sheet as proof of his efficiency.

At the end of the day, this quirky record shows how deep the rivalry runs. Fans on both sides dig up obscure facts to fuel the fire, turning even a flub like an own goal into a point of pride. Whether you're Team Ronaldo or Team Messi, it's a reminder that these two legends have pushed each other to extremes, creating moments (and stats) we'll talk about forever.

What's your take on the debate? Does this record count, or is it just soccer trivia?

Camp Nou Classic: Lamine Yamal's Injury Woes, Fading Spark, Transfer Whispers, and the Fiery El Clásico Showdown

Hello Verifiers, welcome back to the blog where we dive deep into the beautiful game's highs, lows, and everything in between. Today, we're zooming in on FC Barcelona's teenage sensation, Lamine Yamal. At just 18 years old, this kid has the world at his feet or at least he did until a rough October 2025 turned his dream season into a bit of a nightmare. From nagging injuries sapping his explosiveness to whispers of big-money moves and a controversial El Clásico that had more drama than a soap opera, there's plenty to unpack. 

Buckle up; this is going to be a lengthy ride through the latest Barca buzz, packed with juicy details, insider scoops, and my take on what it all means for the Blaugrana.

The Injury Saga: Pubalgia's Persistent Grip on Yamal's Meteoric Rise

Let's start with the elephant in the room, Yamal's health concerns. If you've been following La Liga this season, you know Lamine burst onto the scene like a rocket, dazzling with his dribbles, vision, and that effortless flair that screams "future Ballon d'Or winner." But injuries have a way of grounding even the brightest stars, and Yamal's October has been plagued by a stubborn pubic injury, often referred to as pubalgia. This isn't your run-of-the-mill knock; it's a nagging groin issue that affects mobility, shooting, and overall sharpness. It all kicked off around the September international break. Yamal picked up the discomfort while on duty with Spain, but reports suggest the national team pushed him through with painkillers, playing him heavy minutes despite the pain.

Barcelona boss Hansi Flick didn't mince words about it, blasting Spain's coach Luis de la Fuente for not protecting the youngster: "He went to the national team in pain and was given painkillers to play... That is not taking care of the player. I am very sad about this."

Ouch . . . talk about throwing shade across the Iberian Peninsula!

By early October, the injury sidelined him for Barcelona's clash with Valencia, and initial assessments underestimated its severity. Club sources revealed it was more complicated than thought, with no risks taken to rush him back—aiming for a return around the PSG Champions League tie on October 1st, but that timeline stretched.

He missed a couple of weeks, returning mid-October, but whispers from the Camp Nou indicate he's still not firing on all cylinders. Reporter Helena Condis dropped a bombshell: Yamal is "worried" about the persistent issue, knowing he's not at 100%.

During games, he's been seen stretching mid-play, barely shooting, and struggling with movements that used to come naturally.

Barcelona's medical team has rolled out a recovery plan to get him back on track, prioritizing long-term fitness over short-term gains.

But with the squad already thin, Andreas Christensen just picked up a calf issue, adding to the absentee list, Flick has had to lean on Yamal despite the risks.

It's a classic club vs. country dilemma, and Yamal's young body is paying the price. Fans are holding their breath; after all, this is the kid who lit up Euro 2024. If not managed right, could this be the start of a injury-prone narrative? Let's hope not because Barca needs their wonderboy healthy for the title chase.

Fading Form: From Untouchable to Underwhelming—What's Happened to Yamal's Magic?

Injuries aside, Yamal's recent performances have raised eyebrows. Pre-injury, he was untouchable: 9 goals and 13 assists in 35 La Liga appearances in the 2024-25 season, per stats gurus.

But since returning, it's been a different story. In the 2025-26 campaign, he's managed just 2 goals in 6 matches, with a noticeable dip in sharpness.

Dribbles that once left defenders in the dust are fizzling out, shots lack zip, and decision-making feels off-kilter.

Marca didn't hold back in their assessment: "Lamine Yamal is way off his potential and form. He tries and tries again, but his dribbles are not working. He's not sharp in shooting or decision making either, and Barça can feel it. Since he came back from injury, he has not been the same."

That was harsh, but the numbers back it up. In his last 10 games, he's notched 5 goals and 5 assists, but the eye test shows a player laboring.

Sofascore rated him a modest 6.8 in the recent Real Madrid clash, highlighting his struggles.

What's behind this slump? The injury is the obvious culprit, limiting his explosiveness. But there's more; fatigue from a breakout year, the weight of expectations, and perhaps a touch of sophomore syndrome. Barcelona's overall form has been patchy too, with injuries piling up across the squad. Yamal's still starting regularly (4 of the last 5 matches), but fans are yearning for that electric version who terrorized defenses.

On the bright side, highlights reels from early 2025 show his dribbling wizardry and assists galore, a proof the talent's there.

If Barca can nurse him back, expect a resurgence. Until then, it's a test of patience for the young phenom.

Rumours and Drama: Transfer Buzz, Agent Interventions, and Off-Field Shenanigans

No star escapes the rumour mill, and Yamal's no exception. Amid his dip, transfer whispers have intensified. PSG's big-spending owner Nasser Al-Khelaifi is reportedly eyeing a blockbuster move, with videos circulating of "Lamine Yamal to PSG?!" hype.

Manchester United are linked too, eyeing a €100 million winger raid, while Arsenal fans dream of their own "Yamal-esque" talent in Cristhian Mosquera.

Barcelona's reportedly divided over his future, with some questioning his maturity amid recent off-field antics.

The real juice? Yamal's pre-El Clásico comments stirred the pot. He jabbed at Real Madrid, saying they "steal and complain," which Madrid took as disrespect.

Barca brass weren't thrilled either, viewing it as immature and motivational fuel for their rivals.

Enter super-agent Jorge Mendes, now tasked with supervising Yamal's social media and interviews to curb the exposure of his private life.

Former Barca president Joan Gaspart weighed in, advising humility and firing back at Madrid's Dani Carvajal for post-match barbs.

Yamal's even cut ties with Carvajal after heated exchanges, adding personal spice.

And get this; US media targeted him post-Clásico for his Madrid digs, while teammate Raphinha allegedly blamed him for the loss in a tense dressing room.

It's all very dramatic, but at 18, Yamal's learning the ropes of stardom. Rumours of a Marcus Rashford link-up had him excited, but that's cooled. Bottom line is Barca wants him focused on football, not headlines.

The El Clásico Inferno: Robbery Claims, Tense Exchanges, and a Bitter Defeat

Introducing El Clásico, the pinnacle of football rivalry. The October 26, 2025, edition at the Bernabéu was a cauldron of intensity, ending in a 2-1 Real Madrid win that snapped their four-game losing streak against Barca.

All goals came in a frantic first half: Kylian Mbappé opened the scoring in the 22nd minute, Jude Bellingham added a stunner to make it 2-0, before Barcelona pulled one back (details fuzzy, but likely a set-piece or counter).

Let me feed you the juicy details? Yamal's pre-match trash-talk lit the fuse, Madrid players were "waiting" for him, per ex-pro Mario Suárez.

On the pitch, Yamal struggled: 0 goals, 0 assists, 0 shots on target, 50% dribble success, a shadow of his best.

Post-whistle, chaos ensued: Yamal and Carvajal clashed, with Carvajal telling him he "talks too much" after Yamal kept chirping.

Barca fans cried robbery, pointing to controversial calls and Flick's pre-match expulsion.

One X post summed it up: "The Madrid won robbing… Only gave reason to Lamine Yamal."

Madrid reveled, with Bellingham shining and Mbappé delivering. For Barca, it extended Madrid's La Liga lead to five points, amplifying injury woes, Yamal stretched in pain multiple times, confirming he's not fully fit.

Flick cited the injury as key to Yamal's poor showing, while the club urged him to let his play do the talking.

In conclusion: Yamal's Crossroads and Barca's Road Ahead

Lamine Yamal's October 2025 has been a rollercoaster with injuries hobbling his form, rumours swirling like vultures, and an El Clásico that exposed cracks in Barca's armor. Yet, at 18, he's got time on his side. Barcelona's plan: Rehab, refocus, and reignite that spark. With Mendes guiding off-field matters and Flick's steady hand, expect a comeback kid story.

Eclipsing Moments of the Messi vs. Ronaldo Debate

Ladies and gentlemen, gather 'round the virtual pitch as the Verified Sports Analyst dives into the most electrifying rivalry in modern sports: Lionel Messi, the diminutive Argentine sorcerer, versus Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portuguese powerhouse. For over a decade, these two have been the yin and yang of football, splitting fans into camps fiercer than a Game of Thrones feud. Their rivalry isn’t just about goals or trophies—it’s a clash of philosophies, styles, and sheer willpower that’s redefined the beautiful game. So, let’s lace up our boots, grab some popcorn, and dissect this epic saga through the lens of their club performances over the last 10 years (2015–2025), with stats taking centre stage and a sprinkle of wit to keep the vibe lively.

The Backdrop: A Rivalry Forged in Fire

The Messi-Ronaldo rivalry hit its zenith during their La Liga days, when Messi’s Barcelona and Ronaldo’s Real Madrid turned El Clásico into a global spectacle. But even after Ronaldo left Madrid in 2018, the duel continued across continents, leagues, and competitions. Messi, the artist, weaves magic with his wand-like left foot, while Ronaldo, the machine, powers through with athleticism and unrelenting ambition. Their paths diverged—Messi to Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Miami, Ronaldo to Juventus, Manchester United, and Al-Nassr—but their battle for supremacy never waned. Let’s break it down by club, season, and stats, with a nod to their national team exploits, to see who’s been ruling the roost.

Lionel Messi: The Maestro’s Masterclass

Barcelona (2015–2021): The Twilight of a Blaugrana Legend

Messi’s final years at Barcelona were like a Picasso painting—moments of brilliance amid a canvas of chaos. From 2015 to 2021, he was the heartbeat of a club grappling with mismanagement and inconsistent squads. Let’s look at the numbers:

• 2015–16: 41 goals, 23 assists in 49 games (La Liga, Champions League, others). Messi led Barça to a La Liga and Copa del Rey double, with his 91st-minute winner in El Clásico (2-1) reminding Ronaldo who ruled Catalonia. His 0.84 goals-per-game ratio was obscene.
• 2016–17: 54 goals, 16 assists in 52 games. Despite no major trophies, Messi’s 37 La Liga goals earned him the Golden Shoe. His free-kick against Atlético Madrid? Pure sorcery.
• 2017–18: 45 goals, 18 assists in 54 games. Another La Liga-Copa del Rey double, with Messi’s 34 league goals outpacing Ronaldo’s 26. His hat-trick against Espanyol was a masterclass in precision.
• 2018–19: 51 goals, 22 assists in 50 games. Messi carried Barça to La Liga, but a Champions League semi-final collapse to Liverpool stung. Still, his 12 UCL goals and 36 La Liga strikes were unreal.
• 2019–20: 31 goals, 26 assists in 44 games. No trophies, but Messi’s playmaking shone—26 assists! His goal every 117 minutes kept Barça competitive.
• 2020–21: 38 goals, 14 assists in 47 games. Messi’s final Barça season saw him win the Copa del Rey, with 30 La Liga goals. His free-kick against Valencia? A laser.

Total (2015–2021): 260 goals, 119 assists in 296 games (0.88 goals per game, 0.40 assists per game). Messi was a one-man army, often dragging an aging squad to glory. His ability to combine goal-scoring with playmaking—evidenced by his assist numbers—set him apart.

Paris Saint-Germain (2021–2023): A French Fling

Messi’s move to PSG was like Picasso painting in a new studio—still brilliant, but the vibe was off. Playing in Ligue 1, a league less competitive than La Liga, Messi focused more on creation than scoring:

• 2021–22: 11 goals, 15 assists in 34 games. A slow start, with only 6 Ligue 1 goals, but his 5 Champions League goals showed flashes of genius. His assist rate (0.44 per game) was elite.
• 2022–23: 21 goals, 20 assists in 41 games. Messi found his groove, leading PSG to Ligue 1 with 16 goals and 16 assists. His vision in tight spaces was unmatched, though PSG’s UCL exit to Bayern Munich disappointed.

Total (2021–2023): 32 goals, 35 assists in 75 games (0.43 goals per game, 0.47 assists per game). Messi’s PSG stint showed he could adapt, prioritizing assists while still delivering clutch goals.

The Spanish La Liga 2024/2025 Season Review with Barcelona's Dominance

The 2024/25 La Liga season, came to us like a delivery man. It delivered drama and flair culminating with Barcelona claiming their 28th title.

Some stats you want to consider:

Barcelona, under Hansi Flick, secured the crown with two games to spare after a 2–0 win over Espanyol, finishing with 102 goals scored and a 4-0 record in El Clasicos.

UEFA earlier confirmed additional spot for La Liga with Real Madrid coming second in the league table, followed by Atlético Madrid and Athletic Bilbao and the fifth spot clinched by Villareal, all earning UEFA Champions League spots. Celta Vigo and Real Betis grabbed Europa League places. Rayo Vallecano will be playing in the conference league next season.

Relegation friendship was shared albeit sadly between Almería, Leganés, and Real Valladolid were relegated to La Liga 2, with Almería’s fate sealed after a 1–3 loss to Getafe.

Top Scorer: Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid) clinched the Golden Boot with 31 goals.

Top Assists: Lamine Yamal (Barcelona) led with 13 assists, shining as a young star.

Zamora Trophy: Jan Oblak (Atlético Madrid) set a record with 15 clean sheets, earning the award for the lowest goals-to-games ratio.

Key Players in the concluded season:

Dani Vivian (Athletic Bilbao) anchored the league’s stingiest defence (29 goals conceded), recovering the ball 364 times.

Iñigo Martínez (Barcelona) led defenders with 514 progressive carries and 4 assists.

Johnny Cardoso (Real Betis) impressed, scoring in upsets against Real Madrid and Girona.

Some Jaw dropping Moments:

Barcelona’s thrilling 4–3 El Clasico win after trailing 2-0.

Athletic Bilbao’s fourth-place finish, their best since 1997/98.

Girona’s surprising drop from third to near-relegation.

Next season, we await the magic.

An Upset at Jeddah - Barcelona thrashes Real Madrid 5 - 2 to lift Spanish Super Cup

It was a chilling encounter at Jeddah in Saudi Arabia where the finals of the Spanish super cup competition was held. The competition saw a three match fixture culminate into a frenzy for the Catalan giants on Sunday, 12th January 2025. 

FC Barcelona coming into this cup competition after a back to back home defeats against the duo of Leganes and Atletico Madrid in the La Liga have always seemed to be the underdog considering the size and caliber of players involved on the Madrid  side.

Madrid came into the competition with a winning streak advantage of six wins in seven games without a loss. There run of form was only stopped by FC Barcelona at the Super Cup finals. A finals that was hugely anticipated to deliver key events especially Madrid fans who consider their team invincibles. Now, someone has to remind and convince them that this is football and the unimaginable happens at a time when no one expects.

The game kicked off at 8pm at the King Abdullah Sports City with the Madrid team opening scoring with Mbappe's clean dribble and nice finish at only the 5th minute with Vinicius Jnr assisting the goal. However, the number 19 shirt wearing man, Lamine Yamal equalized with a subline finish off of Lewandowski's sweet assist at the 22nd minute.

Funny thing, was that the Barca team owned the game from the time of the equalizer onwards going on to score other four, 4, additional goals. Two from Raphina, one from Balde and one goal from Robert Lweandoski. At sixtieth minute, Rodrygo made it two for the Real Madrid team but it wasn't enough to cause a comeback or kick an upset despite Barcelona's team reduced to 10 man team following the shot stoppers red card at the fifty sixth minute.

Ancelotti, Madrid's coach has revealed he told the players at the break, “At half-time, I told the players let's see if we can START playing football”.

Hansi Flick was once asked after the game how he was able to manage Barca winning back to back games against Real Madrid with a nine goals score line. His reply was quite simple;

“How did we score 9 goals to Real Madrid in two games? Just FOLLOW THE PLAN”.

The Super Cup final between Real Madrid and Barcelona ended five, 5, goals to 2 in favour of Barcelona.

Messi is Missing the 125th anniversary of FC Barcelona

Messi is expected to miss the 125th anniversary celebrating of his former club, FC Barcelona.  He left the club in 2021 having won Thirty five (35) trophies and also obtaining six (6) Ballon d'Ors. From his spell at the club's second division to his full career at the main team, Lionel Messi played a total of about Eight hundred (800) matches, scoring a record Six hundred and seventy nine (679) goals and assisting another Three hundred and four (304) more.

He had an incredible playing career the club and in 2021 could not renew his contract with the club due to financial constraints on the part of the club and so had to move away to France. He a two year deal with the French giants, Paris Saint German (PSG) where he also had an outstanding performance, also wining two more Ballon d'Ors at the club.

Lionel Messi have said that he would have loved to end his career at the club he loved FC Barcelona but this was not possible because he has had to make two major moves after his career ended at the Spanish club - He has gone to France for PSG and now playing at Inter Miami in the MLS of USA. But he has not stopped been a fan of the city and people of Barcelona nor the club.

In his recent interview after news broke out that he might not be in attendance at the club's anniversary because of an already scheduled engagement on the said date. He affirmed his love he and his family has for the city. In his words, ''My kids were born here. I've spent my whole life living there. I feel I belong to Barcelona'' he said at the interview. Continuing, he added, ''My family and I always think about the possibility of returning to live there one day. My children, my wife and I miss our life there a lot. We miss our friends''

He also added that his love for the team has not changed and expressed happiness for the current team's success. ''I see Barcelona. They are doing great and I'm not surprised at all'' He reacted.

But his attendance of the club's 29th November celebration is still debated as his presence will mean so much for the club and to him. Stakeholders are hoping that a last minute change could put events in a favourable condition for his attendance. 

We will keep fingers crossed as we observe further developments.

BALLON D'OR 2024 Award: Winners, Disappointments and Conspiracies + Pictures

The Ballon d'Or award for 2024 have come and gone and not without many conspiracies and ill wishes from fans, teams and players alike. The awarding institution have received a barrage of attacks questioning the criterias for the just concluded edition.

Ballon d'Or

On 28th of October, 2024, Manchester City Midfielder player, Rodri emerged the winner of the prestigious football award in France having polled the highest number of votes to beat Vinicius Jnr and Jude Bellingham who both came second and third in the award.

Ademola Lookman at the Red carpet

Many have called for investigation into what they called irregularities in the award process that produced Rodri as the award winner. The Real Madrid team decided to totally boycott the event having learned that their player who have received strong indications of winning the award was in fact not going to be winner. They were awarded other trophies by the award organisers like, the Team of the Year, Manager of the Year. Romano tweeted earlier to the fact that the Madrid team have officially pulled out of going to Paris for the ceremony. and later by Tuesday the famous Sports journalist tweeted that according to Madrid that they were privy to sources who have claimed that their player, Vinicius Jnr was not awarded the prestigious trophy based on UEFA's directives. This claim has not been officially confirmed. The reason for such action if true needs to be investigated.

Rodri and Aitana with the Ballon d'Or

Two other major names that were prominent to be among the award contenders Lautaro Martinez and Jude Bellingham. But Vinicius Jnr had a louder conversation and expectation among fans. Many fans had hoped that if Vinicius didn't get it, it would probably be in the hands of Lautaro. He had a spectacular season with Inter Milan scoring thirty five goals, contributing right assists within the period under review. He was crowned Serie A champion, Copa America winner and also lifted the Italian Super Cup.

Lamine Yamal all smiles at the ceremony Red carpet

Lautaro has both golden boot for Serie A and Copa America. Not to mention that he was instrumental to the success of the Argentines in the Copa America tourney. With these magical stats in his resume, it was logical to expect him to lift the trophy but the members of the voting panel has other things in mind, apparently.

And it will be breaking the old ritual of having only the outfield players clinching the awards with Manchester City's star boy among those to conquer such feat.

Winners in the just concluded edition include;

1. Rodri                        -    Ballon d'Or

2. Lamine Yamal           -    Kopa Trophy

3. Emiliano Matinez       -    Yashin Trophy

4. Harry Kane                   -    Gerd Muller Trophy

5. Kylian Mbappe              -    Gerd Muller Trophy

6. Aitana Bonmati               -    Ballon d'Or feminin

7. Jenni Hermoso                    -    Socrates Award

8. Carlo Ancelotti                    -    Men's Coach of the Year

9. Real Madrid                        -    Club of the Year

10. FC Barcelona Femeni        -    Women's Club of the Year

11. Emma Hayes                        -    Women's Coach of the Year

Congratulations to the winners. See you all next Year hoping for less controversies and more happiness from all players and teams nominated or not.

Pictures were google sourced.

Barcelona Humiliates Real Madrid at the Bernabeu in 4:0 win

It has always been a heated encounter between the duo of FC Barcelona and CF Real Madrid whenever the meet for the El classico. 

There is always the 'sibling rivalry' kind of situation between them. In the past years, it has been seen as one the bloodiest rivalries in football competitions. Later years has seen sanity and a bit of professionality between the teams when they play.

The urge to always come at each other has reduced with each trying to play good football and come on top with a convincing win. In the last four competitive matches between the duo, Real Madrid has always come on top with good results against FC Barcelona. FC Barcelona have only just won the two friendly games played in between those four games.

So the 2023/2024 season saw the Culers loosing both legs of the La Liga season to Real Madrid who later went on to win the league. The 2024/2025 season started with Madrid doing good numbers with the signing of famous names that included Mbappe from PSG in a free move.

Barcelona on the other hand, embellished in financial constraints has to resort to promoting La Masia talents to the first team to booster the squad ahead of the season. Making matters worse is also loosing two key central defenders and two key midfielders to injury at the beginning of the season.

They face each other with three match points, pride and bragging rights at stake. They must now confront their fiercest rivals to an encounter to be engraved in the history books of sports and football lovers.

On the 26th day of October, the first leg of the El Classico for the 2024/2025 season took center stage. The match must anticipated took everyone mouth wide open in suspension for the first fourty five minutes. It was goalless at the break with both keepers making good saves to keep a first half clean sheet with Mbappe's first half goal chopped off by Video Assistant Referee for offside.

The second half took a dramatic turn with Lewandowski hitting the back of the net at the 54th minute mark and doing the double just two minutes later. Madristas were left in the awe as the aways team boost the moral of the men in strong boots with Yamal netting the third goal and his first El Classico goal.

Almost at the death of the allotted time, at the 84th minutes, Raphina with the captain arm band made the score line 4 nil against Real Madrid who were finding it hard to go past the walls set up by Inaki Pena - second choice goal keeper after the absence of Ter Stegen due to injury.

It was magical for the Culers as most were left in awe with some confused and flabbergasted by the Barcelona young teams doing serious damage to the Real Madrid ego in such a shameful fashion.

It ended 4 goals to nil in favour of the visiting team at the Real Madrid Playground, Santiago Bernabeu.

Images were google sourced, I do not have rights to them!

Xavi Hernandez Sacked!

Starting this blog with a sack letter 😒. Okay, this is not intentional but anyways that is the trending news at the moment.

FC Barcelona has released a statement this morning stating that the first team head coach Xavi Hernandez will not continue in his role again following a decision reached this morning with Xavi in attendance.

He has managed the side for the past three years with his biggest accomplishment during the period, the Spanish La Liga. Which they won last season. Barcelona has however not lived to expectations during the second half of the season with a leaking backline. Conceding a considerable number of goals. Most of the wins they had recently has always seen them come from behind to manage a win.

The coach's immediate response was felt after appointment with the fans giving him all the support as a former club legend. A Culer though and through. Hansi Flick is strongly tipped as the next successor. Fingers crossed

Read FC Barcelona's press release below:

Today Friday, FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta has informed Xavi Hernández that he will not be continuing as first team coach in the 2024-25 season.

The meeting happened at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper and was also attended by sporting vice-president Rafa Yuste, director of sport Anderson Luís de Souza, Deco, Xavi, Òscar Hernández and Sergio Alegre.

FC Barcelona wishes to thank Xavi for his work as coach, as well as for his inimitable career as a player and as team captain, and wishes him every future success in the world.

Xavi Hernández will be coaching the team for the last time in Sunday's game away to Sevilla. During the course of the next few days, FC Barcelona will be making an announcement regarding the new first team structure.