It’s now official. Barcelona and Xavi Pascual have parted ways after the veteran coach paid the buyout clause to terminate his contract with the Catalan club, which he rejoined last November.
His next destination had long been considered an open secret, and it has now been confirmed. Beginning next season, Pascual will become the head coach of Dubai Basketball. The buyout fee is reported to be approximately €400,000.
At the end of May, amid growing speculation about his future, Pascual announced during a press conference that he would leave Barcelona once the season concluded, bringing an end to his second stint with the club.
A disappointing second spell in Barcelona
Pascual’s return to Barcelona proved to be much different from his first tenure. He admitted that emotion played a bigger role than logic when he accepted the opportunity to replace Joan Penarroya as head coach last November.
Although the team opened his second stint with an impressive string of wins, the season ultimately ended in disappointment. Barcelona was eliminated in the Copa del Rey semifinals and failed to qualify for the EuroLeague Playoffs. The team finished the Liga Endesa season strongly enough to reach the Finals, but Valencia Basket proved too strong and captured the Spanish league title.
Xavi Pascual ha fet efectiva la clàusula de rescissió present en el contracte que l’unia amb el Club fins al 2028.
— Barça Basket (@FCBbasket) July 14, 2026
El Club li agraeix la dedicació i l’esforç en la seva segona etapa al Barça.
🔗 Tots els detalls: https://t.co/StHIDeqiL4 pic.twitter.com/LEJzwh8IEK
Frustration behind the scenes
Beyond the results on the court, Pascual leaves the club frustrated with the way the basketball department is currently being managed, believing it differs significantly from the structure that existed a decade ago.
Despite repeated requests from the coaching staff, no reinforcements arrived after the season had begun. According to the report, Pascual, Juan Carlos Navarro, and Mario Bruno Fernandez moved much faster than the club’s decision-making process, allowing targets such as Sylvain Francisco, Alpha Diallo, and most recently Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot to slip away.
A new challenge with Dubai Basketball
In Dubai Basketball, Pascual will become one of the highest-paid coaches in the EuroLeague.
Beyond the financial package, the ambitious UAE club has presented him with a project built around elite talent and substantial financial backing. Dubai Basketball is aiming to compete for the EuroLeague title in the near future, while Pascual will be chasing his second championship after leading Barcelona to the trophy in Paris 16 years ago.
Barcelona searching for a replacement
Following Pascual’s departure, Barcelona must now move quickly to appoint a new head coach.
The club’s preferred option was Paolo Galbiati, but negotiations with Baskonia became too complicated after the Vitoria-based club reportedly demanded close to €1 million to release the Italian coach—far more than Barcelona had anticipated.
As a result, Aleksander Sekulic has emerged as the leading candidate. Initial meetings between the club and the Slovenian coach took place several days ago, and the man who coached Dubai Basketball until the end of last season now appears set to take the opposite path from Xavi Pascual.
Champions demand championship leadership 🏆
— Dubai Basketball (@dubaibasket) July 14, 2026
Welcome to Dubai Basketball, Head Coach Xavi Pascual
الأبطال يحتاجون إلى قيادة تليق بهم
أهلاً بك في دبي لكرة السلة
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