Xavi described Gerard Pique's retirement as "the law of life" and confirmed it could prompt Barcelona to dive back into the transfer market in January.
At the age of 35, and with a reduced role this season, Pique has taken it upon himself to call time on his career, rather than see out a contract that was due to run through to 2024.
Head coach Xavi has accepted his decisions have led to this point, having made it clear to Pique in pre-season he would not be a regular starter.
Pique will play his final Camp Nou game on Saturday, providing he is involved against Almeria, and has told Xavi he will also be available to face Osasuna in an away game on Tuesday.
The season then goes on hold as the World Cup takes over, and Pique will say his farewells to his boyhood club, for whom he has played over 600 games.
Barcelona will move on without him, and Xavi said: "Now we need to build a new generation. A lot of young players are gaining importance. It's a new era.
"We hope this is a new generation that gives a lot to the club. It's a shame when you see great team-mates and friends who are saying goodbye to football.
"It's a sad thing to see, it makes you nostalgic, but it's the law of life, and it will happen to everyone."
Xavi believes Pique, who already has substantial business interests, could be a future Barcelona president.
"Gerard can be whatever he wants," said Xavi, when that notion was put to him. "For the ability he's got, the leadership, the personality he transmits, he can be whatever he wants. He's got abilities without doubt.
"He's super competitive, intelligent, he's got an amazing intellectual capacity, much more than normal."
With Pique on his way out, Barcelona will be one defender short of where Xavi would like them. He had hoped Pique would stay on, but instead he confirmed talks will take place about the possibility of making a new signing.
"We'll see. Now Gerard's leaving, yes maybe," Xavi said in his press conference on Friday.
"We’ll have a meeting after the match against Osasuna to plan a little bit. We'll have time to plan with Mateu [Alemany, sporting director] and the president [Joan Laporta]."
Xavi played in the same team as Pique for seven years from 2008 to 2015, winning three Champions Leagues together and abundant domestic honours. They were also Spain team-mates for the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012 triumphs.
The coach has little doubt Pique will make a success of whatever he turns his hand to.
"A lot of times we don't choose the end," said Xavi. "It's worked out this way for better or worse and I wish him all the best.
"He's always given his all. He's a winner, he's always been a winner, and he'll continue to be that wherever he goes."
Pique will hope his final game at Barcelona's home is a winning farewell, and the signs are good.
Among current LaLiga teams, Barcelona have played more games against Almeria without defeat (P12 W10 D2) than against any other opponent. At home, Barcelona have won their six games against Almeria in LaLiga, scoring three or more goals in each of the last three.
Almeria's Rubi has lost all six of his games as a head coach in LaLiga against Barcelona, and the club have not had an away win against any opponent in LaLiga since February 2015, during a relegation season. They have drawn one and lost 12 on the road in LaLiga since that last win, with this their first season back in the top flight.
Coventry City 2-3 Hull City: Tigers win five-goal thriller to keep play-off hopes alive
Hull City kept their hopes of gatecrashing the Championship play-offs alive with a thrilling 3-2 win over beaten FA Cup semi-finalists Coventry City on Wednesday.
Noah Ohio scored the winner with his first touch after coming on as a second-half substitute as Hull moved within three points of sixth-placed Norwich City with two games to play.
Coventry, meanwhile, saw their own hopes of returning to Wembley Stadium for a second successive play-off final all but ended, as they sit six points further back with three matches remaining.
Three days on from their remarkable comeback against Manchester United, the Sky Blues twice fought back to level things at Coventry Building Society Arena. Jaden Philogene's shot squirmed under goalkeeper Bradley Collins to put Hull ahead 31 minutes in, but Kasey Palmer levelled within five minutes with a stunning free-kick.
Hull went back ahead in controversial circumstances on the stroke of half-time, Liverpool loanee Fabio Carvalho converting from the penalty spot despite replays showing Joel Latibeaudiere's foul on Liam Delap took place outside the area.
Mark Robins' men again dragged themselves back into the game as Bobby Thomas headed Jay Dasilva's cross in just before the hour mark, but it was Liam Rosenior's visitors who found a winner.
Thomas went from hero to villain as his poor back pass sold Collins short, and Ohio got a toe to the ball to score the winner, keeping Hull's hopes of Premier League football intact.
Van Dijk: Liverpool have 'no chance' in title race after derby defeat
Virgil van Dijk conceded Liverpool might be out of the Premier League title race after they suffered a surprise 2-0 defeat to Everton in Wednesday's Merseyside derby.
Jarrad Branthwaite and Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored in either half to give the Toffees their first win over Liverpool at Goodison Park since 2010.
Liverpool struggled to find a way through the Toffees' defence despite dominating for long periods, and the Reds' captain says they will not outlast Arsenal and Manchester City without major improvements.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Van Dijk said: "If we play like today, then we have no chance to consider ourselves in the title race.
"We have to just focus on the next game and that will be a tough one anyway, so we will see.
"We're very disappointed, in so many ways. I think everyone has to look at their own performances. Did they really give everything, and do they really want to win the league?
"We're still fighting and there are still games after tonight, but if we play like we did overall in the game today – not winning challenges and giving the referee a chance to give free-kicks like he did many times, then you have no chance to win the title."
Howe: Newcastle performance in Palace defeat 'way off' Spurs win
Eddie Howe admitted Newcastle United's performance in the 2-0 loss at Crystal Palace on Wednesday was "way off" the one that saw them thump Tottenham in their previous game.
Howe's men hammered Spurs 4-0 in their last match, but they never got close to matching the attacking verve from that outing and a Jean-Philippe Mateta double condemned the Magpies to defeat at Selhurst Park.
Newcastle didn't even manage a shot on target until the 87th minute, accumulating just 0.42 xG (expected goals) as the likes of Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon struggled to make an impact.
Only against Manchester City in August (one) have Newcastle recorded fewer shots on target in a Premier League game this season than their two against Palace, and Howe was critical of his team's display in the loss, one that all but ends their hopes of finishing in the top four.
"[It is a] bad day for us," Howe told Newcastle's club media.
"I thought we were disappointing today, especially in the first 60 minutes. We were way off our levels against Tottenham and our best levels.
"I thought technically we didn't deliver a good performance, and out of possession I don't think it was a particularly good performance either."
Newcastle were unlocked twice for Mateta to score by a Palace side who themselves only generated 0.88 xG.
Howe was left frustrated by the manner in which his side conceded, adding: "I think we'll be disappointed with our performance technically today, and that's probably epitomised by the two goals where we're disappointed with how we've given them the ball in those situations and then how we defended.
"I think the goals sum up aspects of our performance where there was some good, lots of moments that could have led to opportunities, but we were slow to shoot around the box," he said.
The defeat, combined with Manchester United's 4-2 win over Sheffield United, means Newcastle drop to seventh, while eighth-placed West Ham are two points behind with a game in hand.
Newcastle have now lost eight of their last 11 Premier League away games, while they have lost on four occasions in London in the league this term, only doing so more times in a Premier League season in 2000-01 and 2005-06 (both five).
It's been a disappointing season for Howe and his side, especially compared to the heroics of last term when Newcastle finished in the top four, and the Magpies boss knows there's work to be done to get back to those levels.
"It's a day that we have to take our punishment, deal with it, and then try and improve," Howe continued. "It's frustrating because we know we're capable of much better."
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