Under-fire Barcelona boss Xavi reveals he will leave the club if he isn’t the ‘solution’ ahead of the crunch El Clasico

BARCELONA boss Xavi has vowed to leave the club if he feels he is not the man to take them forward.

The Catalan giants collapsed in a dramatic 3-3 draw with Inter Milan in midweek, leaving their Champions League hopes hanging by a thread.

2

42-year-old Xavi has been criticized over Barca’s disappointing European campaign so far.

But the former midfielder, who succeeded Ronaldo Koeman as manager in November last year, has given an upbeat defense ahead of tonight’s stark El Clasico clash with Real Madrid.

He said: “I think it’s my way of being, I’m an optimist by birth and I believe in work and evolution.”

Xavi added: “We’re doing very well in LaLiga, we’re a draw and we’re top of the table. I can continue to be optimistic.

“I’m very smart and stubborn. And I want this to end well, and I’m not going to stop working and insisting on what I’m doing.

“The day I don’t see it clearly, I go home. The day I don’t believe I’m a solution, I leave.

“I won’t be a problem. But I’m fine now.”

Barca go into tonight’s crunch match at the Bernabeu at the top of LaLiga on goal difference.

JOIN SUN VEGAS AT: GET A FREE £10 BONUS WITH 100 GAMES TO PLAY AND NO DEPOSIT REQUIRED (T&Cs apply)

Xavi, a veteran of many El Clasico encounters, reckons form will go out the window when these two teams cross the white line.

He said: “This is unpredictable. It is the game that gives less importance to the previous one.

“You are so focused on this one that you forget the previous one. It already happened last year.

“We can’t predict anything. We’ll try to get the three points.”

Xavi’s old pal Andres Iniesta revealed that he dreams of one day returning to Barca as a coach.

The 38-year-old, who plays for Vissel Kobe in Japan, told Gazzetta dello Sport: “I’ll stay at Vissel Kobe for one more year… and then we’ll see. I’d love to come back to Barca.

“It’s my home, but I don’t know yet in what form: head coach, sporting director or something like that.”

2