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 coach Xavi Hernandez said that although he leaves with a "bitter" feeling after his side were held to a 1-1 draw by Napoli, he believes that if his team play like this in the second leg they will have "a chance of going through".
"I have a bit of a bitter feeling, because we could have won. We had it in our hands, we dominated except for the last moments of the first half. We lacked order and pause after Lewandowski's goal. It's a shame, we could have won. We let ourselves down. If we play like this we have a chance to go through to the next round," he said at the post-match press conference.
"A very good game, very proud of what we showed to Europe. We still lack that calm, that pause, but we were good overall. They were physically strong, they beat us in duels. I'm left with a bitter feeling, but it's the Champions League," he insisted.
For Xavi, what they showed in the Diego Armando Maradona, "one of the best games", and the home advantage leave the tie slightly in their favour because of the home advantage.
"For me it's a pity that the result didn't go our way. We can be proud of our game, it was one of the best and it's the way to go for the second leg," the Barcelona boss said.
"It's not the same playing at the Olimpico Lluis Companys as at the Camp Nou. It's obvious. It wouldn't be the same for us as it is for our opponents. But in front of our people now maybe the tie is 51-49 for us," he said.
The coach praised the good work of his team, in particular that of Denmark's Christensen, although he regretted the fact that they had let their opponents down.
"We played a very good game in defence and attack. We created chances and we played very well defensively. But this is the Champions League, you give away a
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