Entrevista exclusiva a XAVI PASCUAL: “Conmigo el Barça dejó morir al entrenador” | BALONCESTO

Xavi Pascual breaks his silence almost a decade after leaving FC Barcelona. In an open interview with Mundo Deportivo, the coach from Gavà reviews his successful time at Zenit St. Petersburg, his vision for European basketball, and, for the first time, reveals painful details of his abrupt departure from the Blaugrana club in 2016. Pascual states that he decided to leave Zenit's coaching staff after five years and a multi-million-dollar offer because "the time had come to stop," but he doesn't hide his desire to return to coaching in the Euroleague if a project that excites him comes along. The Catalan coach harshly reviewed his last spell at Barça, noting that he felt "abandoned" by the board: "The last two years, zero protection. Especially the last one. Since February, there were people who didn't speak to me." He regrets that the club "let the coach die" amid self-serving leaks and sporting decisions he considered inappropriate, such as not investing in top-level signings when he had already warned of the need to renew the roster to remain competitive. Pascual, who won the 2010 Euroleague and amassed four ACB League titles, three Copa del Rey titles, and multiple Final Four appearances, believes the fans have done him justice and still recognize him as a beloved figure. Although he dismisses Barça as having shown real interest in his return, he maintains a good relationship with Laporta: "He's my president, and if he ever thinks I can help him, he'll call me." Regarding the club's current state, he warns of the effects of the imbalance between the squad and the bench, and argues that "you can't have a Ferrari and have a taxi driver drive it." He also addressed the challenges of European basketball: the congested schedule, the difficulty of competing from Spain due to tax issues, and the expansion of the Euroleague, which he considers positive only if the national leagues are adjusted. Finally, he did not rule out coaching a national team: "I would be thrilled to coach at the Olympic Games." More information at http://www.mundodeportivo.com/ Follow us on Facebook   / mundodeportivo.com   Follow us on Twitter   / mundodeportivo   Follow us on Twitch   / mundodeportivo   This video was published in the context of the Mundo Deportivo newspaper