MAONI YA XAVI KUHUSU BARCA YA SASA!
3 hours ago / autty
Two years have passed since Xavi left Barcelona to move to Qatar, where he played for Al Sadd. MARCA met him in Doha to talk all things Barcelona, while Xavi also opened up on his personal ambitions.
Qn1. Does it pain you to see Barcelona in their current state?
"No, because except from in the Supercopa de Espana they are normally better than the opposition. It's been like that for many years because even last season they were the better team when they played at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu and they were also more dominant when [playing Real Madrid] at the Camp Nou."
Qn2. How do you view the current Barcelona?
"I was part of an era that was so impressive that it now seems as if it's not the same. They play football well, but they could have signed better. They have fallen asleep because five or six years ago they had the best players in the world for the Barcelona system. Now they have five or six players for it, in [Andres] Iniesta, [Jordi] Alba, [Lionel] Messi, [Gerard] Pique, Luis Suarez and [Sergio] Busquets. Yet Barcelona should have 11 players who fit the system. You never used to say "this player would fit in well at Barcelona" because all those players were already there. They have signed players who do not fit the system."
Qn3. Have they ignored the youth academy?
"They turn to it, but starting players from the academy is another thing. You need to strengthen it. Whenever there is a moment of doubt, you should turn to what you have in-house. During the best Barcelona era they nourished at least 60 percent of the youth teamers. Thiago, for example, left, as was his right, because they were not giving him opportunities. Yet everyone should be patient as it's the most difficult team in the world [to break in to]."
Qn4. What short-term or medium-term solutions do Barcelona need?
"Patience. In the year we won the treble Real Madrid won I don't know how many matches in a row. They appeared invincible in January, but then they lost in Valencia and then at home and we ended up winning three titles. The club should also look after its players and make them happy, as they were during the Joan Laporta era. They also need signings. Barcelona need everything to fall into place to win as Real Madrid are very strong."
Qn5. Do you like Paulinho?
"I played against him at the Confederations Cup and he brilliantly man-marked me and Iniesta. He is very powerful. If Real Madrid signed Paulinho there would be no criticism."
Qn6. Do you feel like Barcelona are experiencing ups and downs since Guardiola left?
"I don't want to think that we've abandoned our idea [of playing]. I see a team that is trying to play [good football] at the same time as they've given us so many titles. If that were to change then it'd be a historic screw-up. Since Cruyff arrived Barcelona has been different and respected by everybody, wowing football fans. So how could we abandon that idea? I don't know the current directors, but I would not like to see Barcelona play a different way."
Qn7. When you watch Barcelona do you ever think how well a Xavi would suit them?
"Selfishly, you like to hear that they miss you, but that's what happens at big clubs. When things aren't going well, they remember those who aren't there."
Qn8. Did Neymar leave because he was not happy?
"He left for a number of reasons. He wanted a change of scenery because he wasn't content at Barcelona any more, because the offer was very good and because he'll be the leader at PSG. All he told me was that he wanted to leave."
Qn9. But doesn't being next to the best make a player better?
"Yes, Messi makes any player better. The whole group made me better, because I need all my teammates. I can't do things alone, I'm not that strong and am better in positional play, knowing where my teammates are."
C&P from All Football App.
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