Xavi Hernandez - a legend of world football, a Spanish player who became one of the most influential and technically gifted players of his generation. He was born on January 25, 1980, in Terrassa, Spain, and displayed his football talent from a young age. Xavi became renowned for his outstanding passing skills and ball control. He possessed a unique ability to control the game on the field, distribute passes, and create attacks for his team.
He began his professional career in 1998, joining the youth team of Barcelona. Over time, he became an integral part of Barcelona's main squad and a product of the legendary La Masia academy. He spent 17 years at FC Barcelona, eventually becoming its captain and one of the main inspirations behind the "tiki-taka" style of play.
Xavi helped Barcelona win numerous domestic and international trophies, including 8 La Liga titles and 4 UEFA Champions League titles. He became the heart and soul of the team, and his on-field leadership was invaluable to Barcelona's success during that period. Xavi is also a key figure for the Spanish national team. With the national squad, he won the FIFA World Cup in 2010 and the UEFA European Championship in 2008 and 2012.
His intellectual approach to the game and his ability to create opportunities for his teammates made him an irreplaceable player for the national team. After leaving Barcelona in 2015, Xavi moved to Qatari club Al-Sadd, where he continued to showcase his skills and leadership. He helped the team win several national titles and became a symbol of football development in Qatar.
In addition to his playing career, Xavi has shown an interest in coaching. He has completed coaching courses and expressed a desire to one day manage his former team, Barcelona. Xavi Hernandez is not only a player of exceptional class but also a symbol of virtuosity, game reading ability, and leadership on the field. His style and contribution to world football will be remembered by generations of fans.
Barcelona have endured a frustrating record with injuries in the 2023/24 campaign.
Xavi Hernandez’s plans have been frequently undermined by injuries in since the start of the domestic season.
With Xavi set to leave the club this summer, and the chances of a major trophy slim, the new manager will want answers over the issue.
However, despite the negativity over injuries, the situation has also enabled Barcelona to save money via combination of contract clauses.
Gavi’s season ending injury allowed salary space to be released to secure the January arrival of Vitor Roque.
However, as per a report from Diario Sport, the contract small print on several players has offered a financial boost.
The report claims the club inserted clauses into new or renewed contracts, with injury absences and suspensions now impacting wages, if a player has completed less than 60% of games.
The fine print over when the threshold applies has not been confirmed with the club not counting from the start of an injury in each case.
As part of the new initiative from the club, Barcelona have reportedly saved around €10m.
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