Juan Carlos Navarro Stays at Barcelona but Steps Down from Basketball Management

The Blaugrana legend will leave his role as general manager as part of the club's major sports restructuring, but will remain with the basketball section in a new capacity.

FC Barcelona Basketball is preparing a significant change to its structure. Juan Carlos Navarro will step down as general manager, but will remain part of the organization and will fulfill his current contract, according to SPORT. The club has yet to specify what his new role will be.

Navarro had been sidelined for several months from roster decisions for the upcoming season. Market moves have been primarily handled by sports director Mario Bruno Fernández and professional sports manager Xavi O'Callaghan.

After several weeks of negotiations, both parties have reportedly ruled out a contract termination. The former captain signed a ten-year deal before playing his final season as a player, 2017/18, so his contract with Barcelona is still active.

Xevi Pujol has been chosen to take over the basketball section's management, with his arrival potentially becoming official early next week after leaving Baskonia. The change is part of a major overhaul following three consecutive seasons without titles and the departure of ten players this summer.

Navarro took on the technical director role for Barcelona's youth basketball program in 2019 and replaced Nacho Rodríguez as general manager in April 2021. Despite criticism over the team's recent performance, Barcelona continues to view him as an important figure and a valuable representation of the basketball section's identity.