By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Xavi Pascual reached a deal to become the next head coach of FC Barcelona, as reported by Mundo Deportivo and officially confirmed on Thursday.
Completing a reunion with the Catalonia powerhouse, the 53-year-old tactician is set to sign a contract for the next three years.
Per the press release: “Xavi Pascual is set to be the new Barça basketball coach until June 2028. He is still to put pen to paper, but a principle of agreement has been reached between FC Barcelona and Pascual for the Catalan to join to become the new coach from 17 November after the team has played games on Friday and Sunday at the Palau Blaugrana against Virtus and Baskonia respectively.
The good relationship between Joan Laporta, Josep Cubells and Xavi Pascual proved key to quickly reaching an agreement while the Club continues through this financially challenging period.
After nine seasons away, 53-year-old Pascual returns to the Club to take over from Joan Peñarroya on Palau Blaugrana bench. This will be his second spell with the first team, after having been coach during one of the most successful periods for the team from 2008 to 2016, during which 19 trophies were won.
Just like in his previous spell, Pascual with be with assistant coach Iñigo Zorzano, who will join the coaching staff.
Eight years with the first team and nine away from Barça
The young coach really left his mark during his first eight years and four months (3,051 days) with the first team and became adored by the fans, who will have him back in charge some 3,425 days later. His nine years away from the Club saw him coach Panathinaikos (October 2016 – December 2018; two leagues and one cup in Greece) and Zenit Saint Petersburg (February 2020 – June 2025; one league, one cup, and two Super Cups in Russia).
19 trophies with FC Barcelona
Pascual learned his trade as a coach across different Catalan clubs, before joining the Club to be the development side coach for the 2004/05 season in the Liga EBA. In 2005, he joined the first team set up to be assistant coach to Dusko Ivanovic – who will be at the Palau with Virtus on Friday – from 2005 through to 14 February 2008, when he stepped up to be head coach. He remained in that role for eight years until June 2016, winning 19 trophies: one EuroLeague (2009/10), four Liga ACB (08/09, 10/11, 11/12 and 13/14), three Copa del Reys (2010, 2011 and 2013), four Super Cups (2009, 2010, 2011 and 2015) and seven Lliga Catalanas in a row (2009 to 2015).
There’s more to his first spell than just trophies though, as his groups proved very consistent in their performance, shown by having reached nine consecutive Liga finals, five EuroLeague Final Fours, along with six Copa del Rey finals and seven consecutive Super Cup finals.”
The previous head coach, Joan Penarroya, was dismissed on Sunday, with Oscar Orellana taking over as the interim head coach in Round 10 of the 2025-26 EuroLeague Regular Season. A narrow win in SAP Garden on Wednesday improved the W-L tally to 6-4, earning a tie with three other teams in fifth place of the standings, two games behind leader Hapoel IBI Tel Aviv. The next continental outing is against Virtus Bologna in Palau Blaugrana on Friday, followed by another home game in Round 7 of Spain’s Liga Endesa Regular Season, opposite fellow EuroLeague outfit Baskonia on Sunday.
Pascual will formally assume his duties at the top of next week. Therefore, Orellana will continue as the interim play-caller for the next two team showings.