Xavi on the exit of Alemany and future of Cruyff and Deco
The coach was asked about the sporting directors and their situation
Xavi Hernández spoke about the provisional situation of the club's sporting management in the run-up to the Catalan derby to be played this Sunday at the RCDE Stadium and the work carried out by Mateu Alemany and Jordi Cruyff in the last two seasons, as well as the possible incorporation of Deco da Souza as a new sporting director.
The Barcelona coach spoke to the media after the training session at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper in the press conference prior to Sunday's derby, which is crucial for both teams, although with very different objectives: to win the title for the Blaugrana and to avoid relegation for the Blue and Whites.
On Alemany, Xavi said: "We are losing a very important asset. I have been very happy with him, he has been crucial in the restructuring of the club. It has been a pleasure to work with Mateu. He is an important loss, but it is a personal decision that has to be accepted. I wish him all the best, he will still be working with us until the summer.
The discourse was similar with regard to the sporting director, Jordi Cruyff, although in this case his future is still undefined. "I can say the same as with Mateu. He is a loyal, valid and capable person. He has to decide how the sporting structure will look, but until now he has been a transcendental piece. He has helped me a lot. Whether he stays or goes, I have to thank him for what he has helped me with. We are focused on winning the league, but with the departure of Mateu [Alemany] we will have to see how the sporting management will be".
For the same reason, he didn't want to assess that Deco could be the new head of the sporting management. "It's not the time to talk about it, there's nothing official. The only thing that exists at the moment is that Mateu Alemany will leave at the end of the season," added Xavi.
