Roger Sterling
JF-Expert Member
- May 10, 2015
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- #21
Tributes have been pouring in for Xavi Hernández after the Barcelona captain announced he would be leaving the club at the end of the season.
Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos said on social media: "All the best my teammate. We'll miss you. Football in its purest state wherever you are."
The AFE players' union wrote: "On the day that you announced you are leaving the club you have represented all your life, it just remains for us to say: Xavi, thanks for everything!"
FC Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu also eulogized the club's record appearance holder: "Xavi, you have a place here as a coach or a director-coach. You have all the merits to be a coach in the future and we've told him that even though he's leaving he has to come back. He understands the Barça philosophy and we can't let these talents leave. I am sure he will be back because he is a culé. It was his decision. We tried to persuade him to stay, nobody wanted him to leave; not the manager, the fans or the board."
Carles Puyol: "He is one of the best players in the history of Spanish and world football. I would put him up there with Iniesta as one of the best Spanish players of all time. It has been a privilege to play alongside him for so long. I hope to see him lift the Champions League trophy in Berlin. It's an amazing feeling when you do and he definitely deserves that last photo."
Former Barça chief Joan Laporta: "Xavi, you have been a guarantor of the essence and values of the greatest Barcelona team of all time. Thank you, good luck and see you soon."
Cesc Fàbregas: "You can talk about Thiago, me, Iniesta... but his way of understanding football is different. He is a special player."
Sergio Ramos, Puyol and Bartomeu lead tributes to Xavi | English | AS.com
Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos said on social media: "All the best my teammate. We'll miss you. Football in its purest state wherever you are."
The AFE players' union wrote: "On the day that you announced you are leaving the club you have represented all your life, it just remains for us to say: Xavi, thanks for everything!"
FC Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu also eulogized the club's record appearance holder: "Xavi, you have a place here as a coach or a director-coach. You have all the merits to be a coach in the future and we've told him that even though he's leaving he has to come back. He understands the Barça philosophy and we can't let these talents leave. I am sure he will be back because he is a culé. It was his decision. We tried to persuade him to stay, nobody wanted him to leave; not the manager, the fans or the board."
Carles Puyol: "He is one of the best players in the history of Spanish and world football. I would put him up there with Iniesta as one of the best Spanish players of all time. It has been a privilege to play alongside him for so long. I hope to see him lift the Champions League trophy in Berlin. It's an amazing feeling when you do and he definitely deserves that last photo."
Former Barça chief Joan Laporta: "Xavi, you have been a guarantor of the essence and values of the greatest Barcelona team of all time. Thank you, good luck and see you soon."
Cesc Fàbregas: "You can talk about Thiago, me, Iniesta... but his way of understanding football is different. He is a special player."
Sergio Ramos, Puyol and Bartomeu lead tributes to Xavi | English | AS.com
