harhar11 wrote:Here's the video



This was awesome play with Xavi and Neymar

Thanks man.That is a stupendous first touch.His ball control/trapping is just impeccable.
I still cant decide who has the better first touch between him and Iniesta.I keep going back and forth.The moment I decide on one,the other comes up with a control to change my mind. I had concluded that Iniesta's was better by a feather.But after this control by Xavi I am again confused and now think Xavi has a slightly better first touch.
Another question.Out of Xavi,Iniesta and Berbatov who has the best first touch?Again very tough.

Wow, you are really setting the bar low for Xavi. One good control and one good pass to alexis and that's a great game.

You are possibly the only person in the world who thinks xavi had a great game vs milan. The whole team was grey, xavi wasn't any better.

First off thats a great control not a good control.Secondly he did play great.He didnt put a foot wrong throughout the game.
Great touches(not just one as you claim),kept the ball well under pressure and moved the ball quickly and intelligently.Played Alves into space numerous times.I didnt see him make a wrong move all game.If you think he did,please point out the plays and I will check it out.I have downloaded the game.

The problem is that he has churned out so many such displays that it seems routine now.Seems rather mundane.  
I mean just look at that control.If that was any other player we would have a thread on the Gen Sec and everyone waxing lyrical about it.But because its Xavi and he does it every other game,not a word.Not even on our section.

Anyway we always seem to reach nowhere discussing certain topics so lets just drop it.

I don't think I can pick between Xavi, Iniesta, and Berbatov.

Anybody who thinks Berbatov is out of the discussion, he is capable of similar things:



I agree with you on Xavi and Iniesta. I can never choose. I don't think it would be fair to the other one if I did. Even when you bring up Berbatov...I still can't say one is better than the other.

All I can say is as far as touch and technique goes, these three are at the top.

If hes mentioned id have to nominate the likes of cassano, totti, and rvp as well

From what I read, he has not been shortlisted for the Ballon D'or this year of what it is 20-30 or so players? I just think that is ridiculous, hes been at least top 5 for what it is now 5-6 years straight?

BarcaLearning wrote:From what I read, he has not been shortlisted for the Ballon D'or this year of what it is 20-30 or so players? I just think that is ridiculous, hes been at least top 5 for what it is now 5-6 years straight?

He is included in the final 23 players list along with Messi, Iniesta and Neymar

Who do you reckon has the better first touch dani?
Xavi or Iniesta.Also throw Berbatov into the mix.

Refuse to answer that question, I have no idea

If I have to lean one way...maybe Xavi has more moments like above, some outrageous first touch taking down incredibly difficult balls. I have more Xavi moments like this in my head than Iniesta, but that really dont mean much.

On the subject of first touch I noticed Iniesta miscontrolling balls against Milan and Madrid - both in advance positions and hard - that he used to take quite well. Not sure if isolated events or not.

I would guess yes.

No matter how great technically you are, its completely possible to miscontrol simply because you misjudge the speed, the distance, the angle...or you have an idea in your head before you get the ball, then you have to change the idea and that process distracts you from the first touch.

So much to your first touch other than technique which is easy to forget.

1:15 that back heel!

I must have been reading another one of those best players lists Neymar and Xavi definitely deserves to be in.

I dont know who our of those has the best first touch, but Xavi's first ball is supreme! His technique overall is one of the best, and the fact that he controls the ball at all times, opponents find it impossible to get the ball off him says a lot. Hes not fast or big or physically special, but he always comes out on top and able to adjust fast enough in avoid opponent trying to get the ball off time. His speed of thought is impeccable, the vision and technique to pull off the vision and dictate the play, build up, everything, just a joy to watch the man

The midfielder has surpassed the Real Madrid icon's tally of 79 victories following the 3-1 triumph over AC Milan at Camp Nou

Barcelona midfielder Xavi has surpassed Real Madrid legend Raul's record of Champions League wins following the Catalans' 3-1 win over AC Milan on Wednesday.

Lionel Messi scored from the penalty spot before Sergio Busquets doubled the hosts' lead, though Massimiliano Allegri's men were offered a lifeline from a Gerard Pique own-goal.

However, the Rossoneri failed the seize their chance at an unlikely point or three and Messi added a second goal to ensure the Blaugrana finished with a two-goal cushion.

Xavi was skippering the side in Carles Puyol's absence, playing in his 141st match (including qualification matches) in the elite European competition.

The victory guarantees a spot in the last 16 for the Catalans as two of Celtic, Milan and Ajax cannot overtake Gerardo Martino's men.

Fellow Liga giants Atletico Madrid also sealed their place in the knock-out stages with a victory over Austria Vienna on Wednesday, while Real Madrid are expected to make it out of the group stages in the fifth gameweek later in November.

Xavi claims he has had many opportunities to leave the Catalans during his career but insisted he never had his heart set on leaving Barca.

"I had the chance, several times, to leave the club for different reasons," the Spain international, 33, added. "But I always decided to stay for personal reasons.

"I'm Barca through-and-through and the final decision was always based on the most passionate and sentimental feelings."

Xavi featured in the Liga leaders' 4-1 win over Betis on Sunday, as goals from Pedro, Neymar and Cesc Fabregas (twice) secured the points against the bottom-of-the-table side.

The midfielder has hailed his side's form so far this season, as well as insisting that Lionel Messi will get back to his brilliant best once he is over his injury problems

Xavi says that no other side in Europe is playing at the same level as Barcelona right now.

Gerardo Martino's men currently sit atop of the Liga table with 37 points from 13 games and their influential playmaker claims that even though the Catalans are not quite at their brilliant best, they are still a cut above all of their rivals.

"Perhaps now we are not at the level of a '10', but we are still remarkably high. We can still reach excellence, but we are doing fine," Xavi told Mundo Deportivo.

"We have to work to reach that level again. But the question we should ask is - what team is playing better than Barca? No one is.

"We are in good form, we have improved and are progressing without drama and understand that there are discussions around the club and that is this club's requirement."

The Spain international then went on to discuss Lionel Messi's fitness problems and insisted that the Argentine will bounce back from his muscular problems.

"He is a very tough guy, mentally strong and he will return," Xavi declared. "He has had four or five years playing everything, remaining decisive in all the games, scoring two or three goals in many of them.

"He is the best in the world but the body says enough and so he must stop. The most important thing is that he recovers well.

"For us, he is the No.1 and we need him a lot. In January, he will return and prove to be the best."

Messi has been ruled out of action for the remainder of the year with a hamstring tear.

Gotta love Xavi

Xavi  

Fernando Hierro has backed Xavi to remain an integral part of the Spanish team at next summer's World Cup in Brazil.

The tournament is likely to be Xavi's last at international level following an extraordinary career that has seen him amass 130 caps and win one World Cup and two European Championships.

Though Xavi will be 34 by the time the tournament starts in June, former Spain captain Hierro is adamant the Barcelona star still has a big part to play for la Roja.

Speaking to Marca, Hierro said: "He'll be in fantastic form for the World Cup. Xavi is a consummate professional, the best player in Spanish football. He represents a way of behaving, and a set of values.

"Spanish football and his club are both privileged to have him."

Xavi's recent performances have come under scrutiny following Barcelona's consecutive defeats to Ajax and Athletic Bilbao prior to their 4-1 win over minnows Cartagena in the Copa del Rey.

But despite having suffered a slight dip in form, Spain boss Vicente del Bosque insisted the experienced midfielder remains a big part of his plans.

"This is just a brief spell and you don't need to read anything else into it. We need to remain cautious. There's no reason to be pessimistic," he said.

"As a player, Xavi is in great physical shape and there's no reason why he should be experiencing problems. We are not conerned and we have great confidence in him."

Spain remain one of the favourites to win the World Cup, despite being drawn in a tough group alongside Chile, Netherlands and Australia.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BcfLlRqIEAAVoQG.jpg

That stud

RG following @barcastuff.

RealGunner wrote:https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BcfLlRqIEAAVoQG.jpg

Hopefully, he'll win his 8th this season :-)

Xavi went to discuss the reasons for Barcelona’s success over the past decade and his own personal role in making football history with his boyhood club.

“Passion for football is key to success. The factors for success at Barça are many – to have a good team, to bring talent together, a winning mentality, team spirit, and a little luck…

“I am a student of that academy. They teach you to compete and also teach you about values. You are taught more than just football. Respect and the transferring of those values is more important than winning.

“We have managed to make history, but with the passing of time we will see even more clearly that we have achieved something extraordinary. It’s not about being leaders. I don’t believe in leaders, I believe in the group.”

Hernandez was then asked if the cancer relapse by manager Tito Vilanova last season had affected the results, to which the midfielder adamantly denied that the two were connected.

“No way, not at all. His illness was a big handicap and we all had to pull together. The work of the assistant managers was great, as was that of the team captains and the other players, who in that moment decided to come together as a group despite considerable adversity, and we played an extraordinary season.”

Xavi and Ribery both concluded by expressing their joy in making it back to the World Cup and Barcelona’s second captain insists he us up for a rematch against Brazil.

“We’re excited about going. We know it’ll be hard, that the hosts are a superb team, as we saw in the Confederations Cup. But we’re up for it and want to keep our title.”

Xavi has hinted that he may transfer away from Barcelona before he retires, claiming it will be "difficult" to stay at Camp Nou.

The midfielder, who turns 34 later this month, has a contract with the Catalans until the summer of 2016 and has already made 22 appearances this season.

Though he insists he would like to stay at Barca until the end of his playing days, Xavi thinks that it will be tough to remain in the Liga champions' first team plans as his illustrious career draws to a close.

"It's difficult to finish your career here," the Spain veteran told Panenka Magazine. "I don't know if I will end it at Barca. I'd like to, but I don't know what will happen.

"I feel good physically, better even than in the last two seasons. I don't want to miss any games and sometimes that can affect you. I have to give myself a little bit more rest now.

"I am happy playing for Barca because of our philosophy. Perhaps I could have been happy playing for another club, I don't know, but my priority has always been Barca."

Xavi also spoke about the possibility of becoming a coach and, though he refused to commit himself to the idea of taking charge of a club in future, he laughed off the notion that he would exit the world of football upon hanging up his boots.

"I don't know if I will be a coach because I am still playing and I haven't stopped to think about it yet," he added. "But I like football a lot and I will stay linked to it. What on earth would I do otherwise - become an economist?"

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The Spain star slammed the former Real Madrid and Inter boss' style of play, while also criticising Roberto Di Matteo’s Champions League-winning Chelsea side

Barcelona midfielder Xavi has launched another attack on Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho, hitting out at ‘The Special One’s’ footballing philiosophy.

The Spain international, who was regularly critical of the Portuguese while he was in charge of Clasico rivals Real Madrid, insists Pep Guardiola and Johan Cruyff are examples of coaches who want their sides to play football in the right way.

“Pep Guardiola is an important person for me - Jose Mourinho is a coach who focuses only on results,” Xavi told Panenka magazine.

“He says he is ‘The Special One’ because he won this and that in so many countries but I do not like the way his teams play.

“Who remembers the Inter side who were champions of Europe? For me, he has not left a legacy, unlike Cruyff has in the Netherlands.”

Xavi was also critical of former Chelsea boss Roberto Di Matteo, who guided the Blues past Barca in the Champions League semi-finals on their way to winning the competition in 2012.

“Di Matteo was the same [as Mourinho]," the playmaker argued. "He won the Champions League, but from my point of view that team didn’t play at all.

“I am happy playing for Barca because of our philosophy.”

Xavi has been a vocal critic of Mourinho's tactics, while he also hit out at the Portuguese coach for his treatment of international team-mate Iker Casillas during his final months at the helm of Madrid.

meh dont mind that, 2016 he'll be 36, and should call it a day anyways.
most legends don't retire at a big clubs.