The figure of Xavi Hernández is once again at the center of Barcelona’s internal debate. The iconic midfielder and former FC Barcelona manager — who coached the club from November 2021 to May 2024 — offered a leadership lecture at ESIC University, where he spoke with unusual honesty about his time in charge. For the first time, he openly admitted the mistake that, in his view, ultimately sealed his departure.

Far from blaming the club’s financial struggles, the injuries, or the institutional chaos, Xavi pointed directly at himself:

“My mistake was keeping those high standards for only one year… Later on, I was able to self-reflect and told myself: ‘Damn it, what happened to me?’”

The Harshest Self-Criticism: Lowering His Demands

Xavi recalled arriving at the Barça dugout with a clear mission: restore a level of demand and discipline that, in his eyes, had been lost in the years prior. That mentality delivered instant results — LaLiga, the Spanish Super Cup, and a renewed competitive identity.

But the former coach admitted that, after that successful first year, the intensity inside the squad began to drop.

“I lowered those high standards, and the players no longer had the same attitude, the same respect, the same effort. The standards kept dropping to the point that in my last season, we didn’t win anything.”

Xavi didn’t describe a sudden fracture but rather a progressive decline. For him, the team stopped maintaining the discipline and rhythm that defined the early success. And when a Barcelona dressing room loses that edge… the fall becomes inevitable.

A Legacy He Won't Forget: Lamine Yamal

Despite the self-criticism, Xavi also highlighted one decision he remains extremely proud of: his early trust in Lamine Yamal when the prodigy was just 15 years old.

“I saw he was ready, despite his age. I’m very proud of what he’s doing.”

His choice to hand Lamine his debut has already become one of the symbolic moments of his tenure — spotting a generational talent and opening the door to elite football.

A Coach Who Wants to Return

Xavi made it clear he does not view his departure from Barcelona as a definitive ending. The experience, he says, gave him priceless lessons he wants to apply in his next managerial job.

“I learned a lot from this. I had to be self-critical.”

That sentence encapsulates everything: Xavi isn’t running from his past — he’s studying it. His failure, in his own words, wasn’t tactical or structural but human. Overconfidence. A drop in internal standards after early success. A mistake he does not intend to repeat.