Xavi Pascual Returns to Barcelona's Bench Nine Years Later

Barcelona has turned to a familiar face to try and overcome its crisis. Xavi Pascual, the coach who led the Catalan club to the pinnacle of European basketball over a decade ago, returns to the team's bench nine years after his departure. According to club sources, the Gavà-born coach will take over the team following the dismissal of Joan Peñarroya, although the agreement has not yet been made official.

Pascual, who managed the first team between 2008 and 2016, oversaw one of the most successful periods in the basketball section. He won the 2010 Euroleague, in addition to four ACB Leagues, three King's Cups, and four Super Cups. His return comes at a delicate time, as Barça has gone two seasons without titles and has started the current one performing well below expectations.

In the ACB League, the team is currently eleventh with a 2-4 record, outside the playoff and King's Cup qualification spots. In the Euroleague, the numbers are slightly better (6-4 and eighth place), but far from the level expected of a club with its budget and tradition.

Since leaving the Palau Blaugrana, Pascual has expanded his international experience. He coached Panathinaikos (2016-2018), where he won the Greek League and Cup, and later Zenit Saint Petersburg (2020-2025), with whom he also claimed national titles and competed effectively in the Euroleague before leaving the Russian project.

His return symbolizes, in part, the club's attempt to regain a lost identity in recent years. After the era of Saras Jasikevicius and the brief tenure of Peñarroya, Barça seeks stability and a recognizable style. Pascual, methodical and analytical, knows the environment and the pressure of the Palau. His challenge will be twofold: to reinvigorate a squad hit by poor results and to reconnect with a fanbase longing for the glory days.