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.
One of Atletico Madrid’s standout players this season has been Alvaro Morata. The 31-year-old has been excellent for club and country, but especially so in the Rojiblanco colours, where he has scored 12 goals in all competitions (seven in La Liga, five in the Champions League).
Morata came into this campaign under pressure to keep his place in the Atleti team, but he has proved the doubters wrong in recent months. Alongside Antoine Griezmann, he has caused many problems, and that could be the case again on Sunday against Barcelona at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys.
If things had transpired differently, Morata could have been playing on the opposite side on Sunday. Barcelona head coach Xavi Hernandez revealed in his pre-match press conference (via MD) that he spoke with the Spain captain in the past about the possibility of joining the Blaugrana.
“I spoke directly with him, and the possibility of him coming to Barcelona was on the table. He is a very generous player, who sacrifices a lot and I personally like him a lot. Tomorrow, we will have two very strong forwards in front of us.”
Barcelona and Xavi would probably love to have Morata at this moment in time, given his excellent form and Robert Lewandowski’s lack thereof. They will be determined to keep him and the rest of the Atletico Madrid players quiet on Sunday.
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