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.
Trump factor loomed large as GOP leaders pushed through Ukraine aid
Conor McGregor hails Dana White after the UFC president announced post
Atletico Madrid star reveals the footballers'
Fresh health warning over common additive used in thousands of ultra
Ivan Toney and Brentford teammate Nathan Collins have a heated argument on the pitch
5 arrested at dawn over freak accident at Hong Kong boy band Mirror concert
The family of imprisoned Belarusian opposition figure hasn't heard from her for over 400 days
'It's Rory Delass!' Republic of Ireland's Megan Campbell wows fans with her catapult 38
Why AP called the Pennsylvania 12th District primary for Summer Lee
Ange Postecoglou admits he has not watched back Tottenham's humiliating 6