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may 17 2026Xavi Pascual will leave FC Barcelona this summer to become the new head coach of Dubai Basketball Club in one of the most impactful moves in the European market. The Catalan coach will pay the €300,000 exit clause included in his Barcelona contract and sign with the ambitious UAE project, where he will receive the highest salary ever seen for a coach in continental basketball.
Dubai BC continues to shake up the EuroLeague market with a project designed to compete immediately for the European title. After confirming signings and moves of enormous impact, the UAE entity will now bet on Pascual as the leader of a team that will aspire to fight for the Final Four and the continental crown in the coming seasons.
The future roster of the Dubai squad is shaping up to be a true constellation of stars. The club is already working on a structure with names like Elie Okobo, Alpha Diallo, Jaron Blossomgame, Mam Jaiteh, and Nolan Traoré Mintz, while also keeping a close eye on players like Sylvain Francisco. It also maintains the dream of convincing Mario Hezonja to leave Real Madrid, while monitoring the situation of Guerschon Yabusele in case he returns from the NBA.
Pascual will be especially seduced by the sporting and financial dimension of the project. In Dubai, he will have full authority to build a roster tailored to his vision and will have all the necessary resources to compete at the highest level, a situation very different from what he experienced during his second stint at Barcelona.
Source: basketnews.com
