Xavi Hernández

In 2026, Xavi stated that Laporta had 'completely let him down' and that Alejandro Echevarría, the president's former brother-in-law, exercised, in his view, greater influence than the president over certain club decisions.

State of the evidence

Xavi's direct statements documented; disputed allegations not judicially established

Attribution

Directly implicated

Xavi announced in January 2024 that he would leave Barcelona, then agreed in April to stay. One month later, Joan Laporta dismissed him following public statements considered overly pessimistic about the squad and financial situation.

State of the evidence

Official chronology and Laporta's statements documented

Attribution

Direct involvement as manager and party to the separation

Asked about criticism directed at Saudi Arabia and Qatar, Xavi responded that these countries had areas in which they needed to improve, just like Spain, a formulation some considered to minimise serious violations.

State of the evidence

Public statements documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

When the scandal involving Barcelona's payments to José María Enríquez Negreira emerged, Xavi stressed that he had never felt his team had benefited from favourable refereeing decisions during his playing career.

State of the evidence

FC Barcelona payments documented; Xavi's personal involvement not established

Legal status — source text

Proceedings concern the club and former executives, not Xavi in the sources examined

Attribution

Limited institutional connection as manager when the scandal emerged

Person targeted by the proceedings

le FC Barcelone et d'anciens dirigeants

Role of the person profiled

Protagonist not prosecuted

Following his arrival at Al Sadd, Xavi acted as an ambassador for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. This position was criticised because of the treatment of migrant workers and the criminalisation of homosexuality in the country.

State of the evidence

Public role and criticism documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

Xavi described the convictions of several Catalan independence leaders in the procés trial as a 'disgrace', joining other figures in Catalan sport.

State of the evidence

Public position documented

Attribution

Directly implicated