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.
On Wednesday, Xavi Hernandez will face off against Luis Enrique for the first time as a manager. The pair had a very successful spell season together in 2014-15, when Barcelona won a famous treble of La Liga, Copa del Rey and Champions League – on that occasion, Lucho was head coach, with Xavi as captain.
There is a lot of mutual respect between the pair, although Luis Enrique couldn’t resist claiming that his Paris Saint-Germain side fits more into the “Barcelona DNA” than Xavi’s does. The latter responded to this during his own press conference on Tuesday, during which he stated that they are both very similar, as per Diario AS.
“I’ve seen the remarks. That’s just Luis Enrique. I think you know what he’s like. I have all the respect in the world (for him). He’s got a team that’s ready to win the Champions League and that’s the intention. We’re both looking for the same thing. We can boast that Luis Enrique, Guardiola, Arteta and us have Barca DNA. Tomorrow we’ll be looking for the same thing: to dominate possession.
“I don’t see it as a duel between him and me. The players are the real protagonists. I’ve already said that we’re both looking for the same thing, don’t look into it because there’s no more controversy.”
Xavi also commented on that season he shared with Lucho in 2014-15.
“It was difficult at the beginning, but we finished with the treble and lifting the Champions League, with me as captain. There was a very good relationship between captain and coach, and I remember it with pride.”
It should be a very interesting tactical battle when Luis Enrique and Xavi meet over these next two matches between Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona. On paper, they look relatively level, so the coaches could be the determining
Read on football-espana.net