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Tag: Xavi

  • Messi deserves second chance at Barca – Xavi

    Messi deserves second chance at Barca – Xavi

    Barcelona manager Xavi has revealed he’d like to bring Lionel Messi back from Ligue 1 side Paris Saint-Germain.

    The Argentine forward departed the club last summer and joined Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer, as, once his contract expired, Barcelona couldn’t afford to offer him a new deal due to their financial issues.

    “I wish Messi’s time was not over, I think he deserves a second chance, a last chance, but that’s next year,” Xavi said in a press conference when asked about the player.

    “He has a contract right now [with PSG], but I would like that.”

    Messi’s PSG deal expires at the end of the coming season.

  • What I told some Barca players in May – Xavi

    What I told some Barca players in May – Xavi

    Barcelona coach Xavi says several players have been encouraged to leave this summer.

    Xavi knows that he needs to lighten his squad this summer, particularly with new signings needing to be registered, and as a result he left a number of first-team players out of his pre-season squad tour, making it clear that they had to find new clubs.

    “They haven’t been cast aside,” Xavi said. “They’re first-team players and they trained with us before the tour.

    “But I was clear with them all in May. They’re looking for solutions now, and we’re trying to help them so that they can play football.

    “They know it will be impossible for them to play with Barcelona, so they have to find a solution to find somewhere to play.”

  • Why Haaland will choose Man City over Barca – Xavi

    Why Haaland will choose Man City over Barca – Xavi

    Barcelona manager Xavi has revealed the main reason departing Borussia Dortmund striker, Erling Haaland will choose Manchester City over the La Liga club.

    TheNewsGuru reports that the Norwegian striker is expected to join the Premier League giant.

    Xavi said today: “It’s not official for City, is it? When it is, you’ll ask me again. For us? It is very difficult (to recruit him) because of the economic situation, I will not lie to you.

    “I will not say much, I will not insult other projects. But our project is good. City have a lot of titles and are in competition (for the PL title). If what you say happens, it will be because of financial problems. I’ve been to Munich several times (laughs).”

    Xavi also said: “I think it’s important to get stronger every year, no matter if you win or lose, but even more so if you lose. This year will not be positive, because we did not fight for titles and we did not win and whatever happens will be welcome.

    “The current economic situation and people will have to leave for them to come. It’s one of the most difficult situations but we have to strengthen ourselves next year if we want to be competitive.”

    On their transfer work in general, he added: “In this there is no problem, I am very comfortable with the president, the sporting director, the technical secretary, Jordi, and the director of football, Mateu (Alemany). They respect my opinion. We have built a good group and my opinion is respected. I will be aware of everything and work to strengthen ourselves and be more competitive next year.”

  • La Liga: Xavi reacts to Gavi playing with untied boots

    La Liga: Xavi reacts to Gavi playing with untied boots

    Barcelona manager Xavi has expressed his satisfaction with Gavi playing with his boots untied.

    Gavi again impressed in victory over Mallorca on Sunday – with his laces untied.

    Xavi said: “He says that’s how he’s comfortable, that it’s good for him, that we don’t need to worry.

    “Maybe if they were tied up he wouldn’t play as well! It is surprising how mature he is for a 17-year-old. He has a lot of things to improve, but he has a tremendous soul and it’s brutal how he competes.

    “I hope he renews his contract. Let’s see if it is sorted soon. After Araujo’s, I hope he is next. I have already said it is fundamental.”

  • Xavi reacts to Barca midfielder joining Man Utd

    Xavi reacts to Barca midfielder joining Man Utd

    Barcelona manager, Xavi has ruled out any possibility that Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong will be joining Manchester United.

    Xavi believes De Jong must continue at Barcelona to become one of the best midfielders in the world.

    Reports had emerged that De Jong had been linked with a move to the Premier League side, with his former manager Erik ten Hag taking charge at Old Trafford this summer.

    However, Xavi has hinted that he is happy with De Jong and wants him to remain at Camp Nou.

    Asked about speculations linking De Jong to Man United, Xavi was quoted by Goal as saying: “I have not talked with him about his future.

    “He is playing at a very good level and has to continue here – he can be one of the best midfielders in the world for years to come.

    “If it were up to me, I would continue here for many more years. He is very important and can mark an era here. He has to score, assist, and he has to be the protagonist.”

    De Jong’s contract with Blaugrana will expire in 2026.

    The former Ajax star has scored four times in 42 appearances across competitions for Barcelona this season.

  • Barca expected to beat Eintracht Frankfurt in style – Xavi

    Barca expected to beat Eintracht Frankfurt in style – Xavi

    Barcelona coach Xavi admits his team is expected to defeat Eintracht Frankfurt in second-leg of their Europa League quarterfinal encounter.

    On reaching the final, Xavi said, “For the whole group, a step forward to achieve one of the objectives of the season. We wanted to win the Champions League but circumstances have led us to play this one and we are excited.

    “Yesterday we watched it from home. It must hurt us not to be in the Champions League and that’s what we work for. It would be an important step for the whole group to win tomorrow. Show ourselves that we can compete in Europe.

    “But this is Barca. We have the obligation to win and play well. It’s not worth it for us to win 1-0 and in the 90th minute. We are Barca. It’s about being excellent in everything we do. There is no comparison. Barça is the most difficult and demanding club. We have an obligation to win by playing well. This is the difficult thing in football. That is why this is the most difficult club in the world.”

  • Barca coach Xavi waves away Rudiger transfer talk

    Barca coach Xavi waves away Rudiger transfer talk

    Xavi refused to be drawn on talk of FC Barcelona signing Chelsea defender Antonio Rüdiger ahead of Sunday’s LaLiga showdown with Sevilla.

    Sahr Senesie, RÜdiger’s half-brother and agent, was this week pictured entering a hotel in Barcelona with Blaugrana director of football Mateu Alemany and technical director Jordi Cruyff.

    The Germany centre-back is out of contract at Stamford Bridge at the end of the season and has been free to talk to clubs from overseas since January.

    But Barca head coach Xavi is focused on masterminding a win at Camp Nou this weekend that would move his side above Sevilla into second place, rather than potential new recruits.

    He said during a press conference on Saturday: “I’m not going to talk about signings, we have a lot at stake.

    “It is true that Mateu, Jordi and the board are working for next season, but our [job] is to go for second place tomorrow.”

    Ousmane Dembele is in a similar situation to Rüdiger, with his Barca deal expiring at the conclusion of the campaign.

    Xavi praised the France winger’s professionalism amid uncertainty over his future and says only the 24-year-old can decide where he will be playing next season.

    He said: “I haven’t had a single complaint about Dembele at a professional level since I arrived. He’s a footballer of many levels, well worked.

    “I still think he can be the best in his position. It’s up to him, the renewal depends on him.”

    Meanwhile, the Barca coach is optimistic Gavi and Ronald Araujo, who are both under contract until the end of next season, will sign new deals.

    “The club cannot afford to lose Gavi and Araujo. They are very important to us and I show it with the minutes I give them. I am optimistic and I hope a solution is reached,” Xavi said.

    Barca are unbeaten in 12 matches and have won five consecutive games in the Spanish top-flight.

    The last of the wins was a 4-0 Clasico thrashing of Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu before the international break.

    The Catalan giants are 12 points adrift of Los Blancos with a game in hand and Xavi has demanded they maintain their momentum at the expense of Sevilla.

    “The message is to continue, not to let our guard down, not to relax,” he said.

    “The Bernabeu was good, but the goals are to be as high as possible in the league and win the Europa League.”

    The coach added: “The break could have been good for us. It is a final sprint in which we have to grit our teeth.”

    Luuk de Jong will not face his parent club after testing positive for coronavirus, while Sergino Dest, Samuel Umtiti, Ansu Fati and Sergi Roberto are ruled out due to injury.

  • La Liga: Barca coach Xavi slammed over Pedri comments

    La Liga: Barca coach Xavi slammed over Pedri comments

    Barcelona coach Xavi has been criticised over his management of Pedri.

    Local pundit Edu Aguirre, speaking on El Chiringuito, is baffled over Xavi publicly likening Pedri to his former Barca teammate Andres Iniesta.

    “I couldn’t get Xavi’s statements about Pedri out of my head,” Aguirre said.

    “Those words really got me thinking. Xavi made a terrible mistake. Just imagine what a boy of nineteen years old when he goes to bed… His trainer says that he is better than De Bruyne, that he is better than Modric and that he is the successor of Iniesta, one of the best athletes in Spanish history, and he says he is the greatest talent in the world…

    “Fans say things like that on Twitter, but the trainer…”, continues Aguirre. “The coach is there to keep a player with both feet on the ground. He has to keep the head of a nineteen-year-old boy in order. The trainer must be Pedri’s football father and tell him: ‘When you wake up tomorrow and start training, you train as if you have achieved nothing. That will take you to success.’”

    “’You shouldn’t let anyone bite your ear’, they always say. But Xavi is the one who bites the ear off. You just can’t say those things to a nineteen year old.

    “Xavi is just raising Pedri badly. Pedri is going to be very good, and he already is. But Xavi can’t just say everything about him. He’s only nineteen! You can say it to a thirty-year-old who has been through it all. Tomorrow he’ll get up and say, ‘I already know everything. Hey, I’m better than Modric, I’m better than De Bruyne, I’m the next Iniesta. Why? That’s what Xavi says.’ Xavi must put him in his place and ensure that he continues to work hard every day. Xavi is making a big mistake.”

  • La Liga: Xavi reveals impact of new signings at Barca

    La Liga: Xavi reveals impact of new signings at Barca

    Barcelona coach Xavi says their January signings have made a big difference.

    Wins against Atletico Madrid and Valencia have helped push Barcelona into a Champions League spot and they can consolidate their fourth place position with another victory on Sunday against Athletic Bilbao.

    Ferran Torres, Adama Traore and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang have strengthened Barcelona’s attacking options since joining the club and Xavi has been impressed by the trio.

    “Without the new signings, we would not have achieved our goals,” Xavi said.

    “Auba did not surprise me because he’s always been a top goalscorer.

    “Torres is an amazing player, with the work he brings and how he plays for the team. We are talking about a high-level player. He is the player that surprised me the most. He is awesome.

    “Adama surprised me with his decision-making, which has improved recently.”

  • FC Barcelona beat Atletico Madrid in outstanding performance

    FC Barcelona beat Atletico Madrid in outstanding performance

    FC Barcelona produced arguably the most impressive performance of Xavi’s tenure as the Blaugrana made something of a statement in their 4-2 defeat of Atletico Madrid.

    Diego Simeone brought up Xavi’s past criticism of Atletico Madrid’s style of play in the build-up.

    But the latter had the last laugh at Camp Nou as Barca replaced Los Colchoneros in fourth.

    The visitors did enjoy a promising start with Yannick Carrasco’s well-worked opener eight minutes in, but Barca were soon ahead thanks to Jordi Alba’s excellent volley and a Gavi header.

    Ronald Araujo increased Barca’s lead just before half-time and Dani Alves blasted in a fourth for his first goal since his return.

    Luis Suarez pulled one back against his former club and Alves was dismissed, but Barca went on to claim a deserved win.

    Atletico Madrid led in style as Suarez latched onto Koke’s excellent pass and fed Carrasco into the penalty box, with the Belgian sweeping his first-time finish into the bottom-left corner.

    They were pegged back just two minutes later when Dani Alves crossed to the left.

    Jordi Alba met it with a spectacular sliced volley that spun high into the far corner of the net.

    Another Barca cross proved decisive soon after as the hosts went in front, with debutant Adama Traore seeing his pinpoint delivery nodded in by Gavi.

    Araujo then made it 3-1 late in the half, smashing in from close range after Ferran Torres headed Alves’ free-kick onto the crossbar.

    Alves became the fourth-oldest player to score in La Liga this century early in the second half, drilling home from Alba’s cut-back.

    Barca were made to suffer as Suarez headed in and Alves was sent off for scraping his studs down Carrasco’s calf, but Atletico Madrid could not salvage a result.