Xavi Pascual has revealed the emotional toll behind his decision to leave FC Barcelona at the end of the season.
During a special press conference, the veteran coach admitted that defeats with Barcelona had become too difficult to handle emotionally during his second spell with the club.
“I am suffering every day,” he said. “Defeats do not allow me to function as a person, and here I suffer them three times more.”
Pascual also denied reports of conflict with president Joan Laporta or the club’s management.
“The first thing is that there is absolutely no war between Barcelona and Xavi Pascual. None at all,” Pascual explained. “My relationship with the club is extraordinary. My love for Barca remains intact.”
He added that he already had doubts before returning to Barcelona, which is why an exit clause was included in his contract.
“It is like when you love someone very much, then you stop being together, and with time, you change.”
According to BasketNews insider Donatas Urbonas, Pascual has already been in advanced negotiations with Dubai Basketball.
Despite an injury-hit season, Pascual led Barcelona to the EuroLeague Play-In and kept the club among the top four teams in the ACB standings.
During his first spell with Barca, he won the 2010 EuroLeague title and four Spanish league championships.
The veteran coach says leaving the club will be good for everyone: https://t.co/Ul0xkBuvlq
— BasketNews (@BasketNews_com) May 28, 2026
