El Maestro: Xavier Hernández Creus

What a performance from the maestro.
Its as if before every big game he thinks in his head.
'I am the Boss,I am the man and you are not going to touch the ball'.
We had the best first touch thread and I had voted for Xavi and I think today proved why.
A sublime first touch before the Messi goal and I have seen him control that way multiple times before.
Similarly another exquisite first touch to set up his own goal.
A sublime performance that only he can pull off.No Santis player could get near him.
I know Messi is the best player in the world but I so want Xavi to win the Ballon D'Or.The guy deserves it.Messi can win it another year.
It would be a tragedy if the greatest midfielder of all time doesnt win the Ballon D'Or even once.

Lastly,to kizz and cbarca,move on guys.
I am his biggest fan on here.

that ball control on messi's goal was out of this world

Xavi was amazing, just absolutely dominated the opposition

My favorite part about his game is his coolness under pressure.

Only about three other players in the world could bring down such a high ball like that. And, as usual, he split the defence open by spotting Messi's run and calmly slotting it through. Not to mention a player was "closing him down." Xavi hardly ever gets closen down successfully.

In 24 games this season, Xavi has scored 7 goals. Close to a goal every three games, a superb return for a midfield playmaker. He needs just 3 more goals to equal his best ever season...

What is helping this new dimension to Xavi's play? I think its that Barca are playing higher up the park than ever, and with Pep's total football, players like Thiago, Cesc and Messi are able to rotate allowing Xavi to push forward naturally at times to take their space closer to goal.

I must say I believe he's shooting a little more too, and has improved his finishing. It would be nice to see a few more from Iniesta, who has only scored three. The guy never shoots! Maybe worse than Xavi.

alexjanosik wrote:What a performance from the maestro.
Its as if before every big game he thinks in his head.
'I am the Boss,I am the man and you are not going to touch the ball'.
We had the best first touch thread and I had voted for Xavi and I think today proved why.
A sublime first touch before the Messi goal and I have seen him control that way multiple times before.
Similarly another exquisite first touch to set up his own goal.
A sublime performance that only he can pull off.No Santis player could get near him.
I know Messi is the best player in the world but I so want Xavi to win the Ballon D'Or.The guy deserves it.Messi can win it another year.
It would be a tragedy if the greatest midfielder of all time doesnt win the Ballon D'Or even once.

Lastly,to kizz and cbarca,move on guys.
I am his biggest fan on here.

Great post, but you are wrong... you are not his greatest fan :king: How will you ever know truly if you support him more than me!? Huh? Come at me :dance:

No, but seriously... we bow together We lead the cult of El Maestro as we all worship the great man.

Also... unfortunately its going to be almost impossible for him to win a Ballon D'Or. He deserves one in his career, but I won't remember him as a player who 'failed' to win an individual award. Xavi is all about the team anyway. There is no doubt in my mind Messi deserves it again, and Xavi's time is running out because Messi is just a freak, and will probably win it again, and again. My problem is that Xavi should be finishing 2nd more... he's got too many third places when he deserves second. Cristiano 'Disappear in any game of significance' Ronaldo should not finish 2nd... and Xavi should have won it in 2009.

Xavi should've won it last year for sure. Not sure how Iniesta came in top 3, take Iniesta out of the poll and Xavi would've rightfully received most of his votes, putting him in 1st place.

BarcaKizz wrote:In 24 games this season, Xavi has scored 7 goals. Close to a goal every three games, a superb return for a midfield playmaker. He needs just 3 more goals to equal his best ever season...

What is helping this new dimension to Xavi's play? I think its that Barca are playing higher up the park than ever, and with Pep's total football, players like Thiago, Cesc and Messi are able to rotate allowing Xavi to push forward naturally at times to take their space closer to goal.

I must say I believe he's shooting a little more too, and has improved his finishing. It would be nice to see a few more from Iniesta, who has only scored three. The guy never shoots! Maybe worse than Xavi.

I agree. I also think with us playing with more midfielders than ever all at once, he can make some more runs into the box. When you have Messi dropping deep, Cesc in there, Thiago, Iniesta and Busi all great on the ball you can gamble a little more like he has. I think this will continue and I wouldnt be surprised if its he who scores the first goal in a big game, I think he has a knack.

Xavi STATS [Updated: 5 Jan 2011]

~ #Xavi STATS at #fcbarcelona [in all Competition.]: 603 official matches (all-time Barca record), 66 goals, 135+ Assists.

~ #Xavi Stats (Career - #laliga ): 398matches, 43 goals & 81 Assists.

-------------------

` Xavi Stats [2011-2012]:

~ 26matches(24starts). [30 possible matches]

~ Goals: 8.

~ Assists: 9 (11).

~Passing: 105passes (93.44%) per game in CL and League [1980/2119].
- Champions League: 490/519 (94.4% Passing Accuracy)
- League: 1490/1600 (93.1%)


Xavi's 132 Assists at FCBarcelona (2001-2011) by allas

Get Well Soon Xavi

Xavi will almost certainly not play against Valencia this weekend. He hopes to be ready for the game against Atletico Madrid

~ Xavi Stats (2011-2012): 33 matches (31starts), scored 11 goals [Personal Record in a single season] and assisted 11+.

=======================

Xavi:

"Of course there's life after Xavi. Didn't you see the game on Sunday? Barça don't depend on one player."

"Many referee mistakes in the Liga this season? Crying about it won't help. More technology could make the game more just."

"Becoming a coach? I'm not thinking about that. I want to play for many more years, as long as my body allows it."

Khaled wrote:~ Xavi Stats (2011-2012): 33 matches (31starts), scored 11 goals [Personal Record in a single season] and assisted 11+.

=======================

Xavi:

"Of course there's life after Xavi. Didn't you see the game on Sunday? Barça don't depend on one player."

"Many referee mistakes in the Liga this season? Crying about it won't help. More technology could make the game more just."

"Becoming a coach? I'm not thinking about that. I want to play for many more years, as long as my body allows it."

If ppl just look at the league and recent performances they'd think Barca are having a poor season which in fact is so untrue! While others like Villa and Pedro have been out, Cesc and Xavi have chipped in with the goals to help.... and Messi have score even more than previous seasons.

And lovely yo read that he wants to "play for many more years, as long as my body allows it."

http://www.goal.com/en/news/12/spain/2012/02/22/2921555/barcelonas-xavi-is-the-best-player-i-played-with-says-henrik


but, but he sucked pre 2008

Love it, from a legend himself Larsson.... Xavi will always remain the best midfielder of this era

Just thought I would post this.The best Xavi video I have seen.The music is so apt.And some of those touches are just unbelievable.Especially his patented backflick touches.He can even pass with them.
Absolute legend.

His 12th goal this season.Best return for him in his career.
He is a surprisingly cool finisher and ever since Pep's arrival has a good goal return.I think he has more than 30 goals under Pep and is something like our 4th best score under pep.Thats ridiculous considering that he does so much more than score goals.

The all scoring Maestro, he does it a lot with delicate chips as well

Very poor yesterday, just backpasses, he is probably playing with a knock. Overall Xavi didn't reach the level of last season's Xavi. He doesn't control the game as good as last year, make some bad passes, didn't make defence splitting pass. Only his goalscoring improved due to 3-4-3 but last season Xavi > this season Xavi.

Xavi believes that the 49-year-old gave more importance to physique than to talent, which made him grow unhappy in the squad.

"Rijkaard did not believe in me," he told L'Equipe. "He wanted our game to be based on a superior physical level.

"He believed that it was the only way to be at the same level as the top clubs in Europe.

"Four or five years ago, I was [deemed] terrible and useless. I was Barca's cancer! A player 1,70m tall was simply impossible."

Xavi in Euro finals: 2 games, 3 assists.

Ultimate big game player! Always shows up when it matters

#Xavi finished #euro2012 with most chances created (26), Most passes 595 (93% accuracy) #fcblive and 2 assists (via @whoscored)

#LEGEND

Average player. Needs to prove himslef outside Barcelona. He needs to come to United...

Great photo. Xavi