Deco’s crucial role in Xavi stay and why Laporta was eager to keep him at Barcelona

Barcelona president Joan Laporta was always keen to persuade Xavi to stay on as manager at the club, while Deco also had a key role in convincing him not to step down.

It was confirmed yesterday that Xavi would not be leaving Barca, and Fabrizio Romano has written in his Daily Briefing column about how the situation at the Nou Camp changed after meetings yesterday.

Xavi had recently announced that he’d be stepping down at the end of this campaign, but it now seems that Laporta never...