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.
The Catalan coach brought up the quality of the field in his post-match interview, which he deemed as poor.
Real Madrid and Manchester City went to battle at the Bernabéu and gave those watching a game that will last long in the memory. The Champions League quarter-final first leg ended 3-3 after stunning goals from both sides and after the tie, City manager Pep Guardiola spoke to the press about many things, including the state of the pitch for the game.
Guardiola was asked about the roof at the Santiago Bernabéu, an ongoing topic of debate, discussion and conversation over recent weeks, months and maybe years. “I like the sky”, he said, “but it’s true that the stadium looks brilliant.”
He could have left it there. He could have said thank you very much and headed home. But he didn’t. He went full knee-high tackle on señor Pérez.
“Now they only need to take care of the grass, they only need to improve that. Florentino [Pérez] only has to worry about the next thing being to have a good pitch, as Madrid always have had.”
Lest we forget, this is not the worst crime regarding complaints over a pitch. It was Pep’s protégé, the man more Cruyff than Cruyff himself who complained about playing in the sun. Yes, Barcelona manager Xavi Hernández complained in 2023 about playing a LaLiga football match in the sun. In April. In Spain. Where it’s sunny.
After a goalless draw to Getafe, Xavi moaned that the pitch at the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez “ruined our circulation of the ball and our positional play... they criticise me a lot for talking about the playing surface. Today everyone saw it. It’s bad for the game as a spectacle... we’re used to playing without sun, at night. It’s evident”.
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