BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Coach Xavi Hernández will stay with Barcelona for another year after all, agreeing to finish his contract to 2025 in a reversal of his decision to quit at the end of the season, two people with knowledge of the agreement said Wednesday.
The two people spoke anonymously to The Associated Press because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the deal.
Barcelona was expected to make the decision official on Thursday, when club president Joan Laporta would explain the details about the turnaround.
Spanish media said Xavi met with Laporta and sports director Deco for several hours on Wednesday before agreeing that the coach would stick around instead of leaving as initially planned.
The decision to stay with Xavi came three days after a 3-2 loss to Real Madrid that all but ended the team’s chances of winning a title.
CORSET addict, 48, who wears a steel
China's top political advisory body holds 3rd plenary meeting of annual session
This Morning's Alison Hammond cosies up to mystery man as pals claim she's 'never been happier'
Billionaire Elon Musk is mercilessly mocked over his 'embarrassing' red carpet poses
Yokohama reaches Asian Champions League final by beating Ulsan in penalty shootout 5
Doctors thought woman, 77, had cancer... then they discovered she had a brain
The New York Islanders clinch a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with 4
Meet Donald Trump's glamorous right
New Jersey Democrat Rep. Donald Payne Jr. dies at 65 after heart attack
Crosby scores 42nd goal, Penguins keep playoff hopes alive with 4
Grant Shapps swerves questions on whether Britain could follow the US by banning Chinese
The marathon task of trying America's most famous man: Trump 'smirked' as he became the first ex