Barcelona coach Xavi Pascual leaves for Dubai in €400,000 contract break

Xavi Pascual has ended his second spell as Barcelona coach ahead of schedule after activating a release clause in his contract to join Dubai on a deal running until 2029.

Pascual was contracted to Barcelona until 2028, but chose to leave the Catalan club following a disappointing campaign and take on a new challenge in the United Arab Emirates. Dubai general manager Dejan Kamenjasevic said the Spanish coach paid about €400,000 to trigger the clause after the end of last season.

The decision brings Pascual’s latest period at Barcelona to a premature conclusion, with the club having gone three consecutive seasons without winning a trophy.

Pascual signed his most recent Barcelona contract in November, but his final season failed to deliver the success expected of the team. Barcelona were eliminated by Baskonia in the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey, failed to reach the knockout stage of the EuroLeague and were beaten by Valencia in the Spanish league final.

His departure is understood to have been driven by a desire to pursue a different challenge rather than financial considerations. Pascual previously led Barcelona to the EuroLeague title in 2010 during his first spell with the club.

He now takes charge of Dubai, who are aiming to build a squad capable of competing strongly at continental level. Kamenjasevic said Pascual gave up the remaining two years of his Barcelona contract in order to sign for the Emirati club.

“ He left Barcelona despite having a two-year contract, gave it up to sign a new contract that is very similar to the one he had at Barcelona, so it is certain that he did not come for the money,” Kamenjasevic said.

Pascual’s move means his second tenure at Barcelona lasted only until the end of the season, despite the agreement that had been due to keep him at the club for a further two years. The coach’s previous success in Catalonia, including the 2010 EuroLeague triumph, made his renewed appointment a significant return, but the latest campaign ended without silverware.

Dubai’s agreement with Pascual is said to resemble the terms of his Barcelona contract in several respects. The club’s management considers his arrival part of a broader plan to establish a team capable of making a serious impact in European competition.

The move also marks a swift change of direction for Pascual, who opted to leave one of Europe’s most prominent clubs for a new project that Dubai hopes will develop into a force on the continental stage.