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.
With Gavi, Pedri and Frenkie de Jong all out of action for the next month, Barcelona’s midfield options during this upcoming period are very limited. Against Mallorca on Friday, only one natural option started in the centre of the park (Ilkay Gundogan), although that’s unlikely to be the case on Tuesday when Napoli come to town for the second leg of their crucial Champions League last 16 showdown.
Andreas Christensen will reprise his role as the pivot, but the other midfielder alongside him and Gundogan is up for debate. Fermin Lopez could be trusted, but as Sport have reported, it’s more likely that Sergi Roberto is the one selected by head coach Xavi Hernandez to play in the engine room.
Roberto has recovered from injury, and is available to face the reigning Serie A champions. He has reportedly been playing the de Jong role in training, which points to him earning a rare start next week.
It’s understandable that Xavi prefers Roberto – who will almost certainly leave Barcelona at the end of the season when his contract expires – to Fermin for the Napoli match, as he has experience of playing crucial Champions League fixtures. Still, it also shows how badly missed Gavi, Pedri and de Jong are.
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