Spanish media reports have revealed that new Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez has drawn up an initial list of players he intends to part ways with in January. According to a report published by "El Mundo Deportivo" on Friday, the list includes Brazilian midfielder Philippe Coutinho, Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong, French defender Samuel Umtiti, Brazilian Sergiño Dest, and Spanish player Oscar Mingueza. It seems that the list does not meet the standards Xavi hopes for from Barcelona players and does not align with the plans he intends to implement to try and rescue the struggling team.
On Wednesday, Barcelona suffered a heavy defeat, losing 3-0 to German club Bayern Munich, resulting in their exit from the Champions League at the group stage and shifting to compete in the Europa League. This defeat marked the first time the Catalan team failed to progress beyond the Champions League group stage since the 2000-2001 season.
Although Xavi appeared extremely frustrated after the away match against Bayern, he considered the game against the European champions in 2020 a "turning point," announcing the start of a new phase for his team. After the painful loss, Xavi stated, "Bayern was clearly the better team. This is the harsh reality we must face. I informed the players that this match is a turning point." He added, "Today marks the beginning of a new era, and we need to restore Barcelona to the place it deserves, which is not the Europa League."
The Barcelona legend further expressed, "I am saddened that this is our reality. We will start from scratch, and we must return Barcelona to compete in the Champions League. Now I feel responsible. We must win the Europa League title."
