Barcelona are Europe’s most embarrassing football club! Sacking Xavi after begging for him to stay would be a new low for lever-crazy Joan Laporta | Goal.com

As the half-time whistle blew at Barcelona’s La Liga clash with Rayo Vallecano on Sunday, the chants started: “Xavi si, Laporta no,”. Everything was very clear: the cules – who are required to vote on the club’s president at every election cycle – aren’t so convinced with the man at the helm.

And they have a point. It’s been a chaotic week in Catalunya, as rumours spread that Laporta wants to sack manager Xavi, just weeks after begging the disgruntled boss to remain at the club past this summer.

That news has reopened some old wounds that had seemingly been sewn shut after a discombobulated campaign. The president pulled an ultimate act of reconciliation in April in getting Xavi to stay, but in igniting talk that he now wants rid of him, Laporta has only further damaged the reputation of Europe’s most poorly run elite club.

The footballing world hardly needed any more proof, but the setup at Barca is an absolute mess – and it could yet get worse before it gets better.