Robert Lewandowski on Xavi Hernandez’s decision to leave Barcelona – “I understand him perfectly”

In the aftermath of Xavi Hernandez’s announcement that he would be stepping down as head coach of Barcelona at the end of the season, reports noted that several players were strongly affected by the decision.

Robert Lewandowski was one of those, and it was reported that he tried on multiple occasions to convince Xavi to re-consider his decision, albeit to no avail. The Polish striker has developed a strong relationship with the 44-year-old over the last 18 months, having joined from Bayern Munich in the summer of 2022.

Lewandowski spoke to Sport on Thursday in regards to Xavi’s impending departure. The 35-year-old admitted that he totally understand the reasons behind him walking away in the summer.

“Being a Barcelona coach or player is a lot of pressure, it’s normal, and the team or the club is a more difficult moment than before, with a squad with very young players. Expectations are always very high.

“I understand what all this means to him: he is from Barcelona, he was a player and now he is a coach. From an emotional point of view it is very difficult and I understand him perfectly. Not only him, but also his family.”

Lewandowski will hope that he and his Barcelona teammates can give Xavi the perfect send-off. Their hopes are likely to rest on the Champions League, although it’s not insurmountable that they overturn the eight-point deficit to Real Madrid in La Liga.