El Maestro: Xavier Hernández Creus

Xavi played a role in getting Enrique and Messi on terms according to Hunter lol

Xavi to Enrique,

"Xavi, as captain, intervened. Xavi brought the two sides together and said to Luis Enrique 'give him some slack. He's special and we need him. You're the boss, you need to lead. But rather than fining him or dropping him, what we need here is a rapprochement,'"

Xavi to Messi,

"He then went to Messi and said 'listen, I'm here as captain. This isn't the way to do it. The manager has the right to choose who he wants'. There was a getting together.

Yeah, right.

Messi's response:

GEM

Barcelona midfielder Xavi Hernandez is poised to sign a three-year contract with Qatari club Al Sadd, according to reports in Spain.

The Spain playmaker will join Al Sadd at the end of the season and replace former Real Madrid star Raul in the side, according to AS.

Xavi, 35, is set to receive a salary of €10 million and will study for his coaching licences during his time in Qatar at the Aspire Academy, the reports say.

Xavi had considered other options including proposals from Major League Soccer, AS said, but finally was swayed by the Al Sadd offer, which will see him earn an extra €10 million should he complete a fourth term.

New York City FC coach Jason Kreis called Xavi "one of the best players in the world" during a news conference last week, but admitted he was unsure how he would fit in with the club if they were to make him an offer.

The Aspire Academy is headed by general director Ivan Bravo, the former director of Real Madrid.

Sauce : http://www.espnfc.us/story/2367124/barcelonas-xavi-hernandez-to-sign-3-year-deal-with-al-sadd-say-reports

Honestly was hoping he would leave at the end of the season, take a year or whatever working on getting his coaching license, and then go straight to coaching the B team to get some experience or something.

Instead it looks like he is going to work on getting his license, and play for at least 3 years with an option for a fourth. Seems so far away before he could potentially return to coach us.

Agreed. I was hoping if he was going to take several years he would go to MLS, but that doesn't seem the case either.

Can't blame him for wanting one last payday, while learning to coach. He will inevitably become Barca manager someday

He has to go for the Arab money while he can. Happy to hear he will begin coaching.

may be its arab money, but its also difficult for players like him who loved it so much to suddenly stop playing. he needs to adjust to life without pro football slowly.

Is it confirmed that he is leaving?GOD help us if so.Our midfield is pathetic and we cant sign anyone.Fraudrique must convince Xavi to stay on one more season.
Two games in a row,we have been owned in midfield only for Xavi to come on and restore control.All these years,people complained about him only doing useless sideways passes. Well we have seen this season how much his useless sideways passes added to the side.Without them sideways passes,we are getting owned in midfield.
The greatest midfielder of all time.The game has seen the likes of Didi,Netzer,Gerson,Overath,Mathaus,Falcao,Zidane, Scholes,Pirlo etc.
Xavi sits at the top of the food chain.

Somehow I don't see Xavi being a successful manager. I don't know, just something about his character.

alexjanosik wrote:Is it confirmed that he is leaving?GOD help us if so.Our midfield is pathetic and we cant sign anyone.Fraudrique must convince Xavi to stay on one more season.
Two games in a row,we have been owned in midfield only for Xavi to come on and restore control.All these years,people complained about him only doing useless sideways passes. Well we have seen this season how much his useless sideways passes added to the side.Without them sideways passes,we are getting owned in midfield.
The greatest midfielder of all time.The game has seen the likes of Didi,Netzer,Gerson,Overath,Mathaus,Falcao,Zidane, Scholes,Pirlo etc.
Xavi sits at the top of the food chain.

He is one of the best ever for sure but I can't say he is clearly the best. Based on his exploits in the 2 WCs and Euros, Zidane will always be greater to the general football populace. Best controller I have ever seen by a long distance.

Xavi and Zidane are two very different players. Both played the midfield but to sit here and argue which is better doesn't make allot of sense to me.

windkick wrote:Xavi and Zidane are two very different players. Both played the midfield but to sit here and argue which is better doesn't make allot of sense to me.

That's why I said greatness. Greatness is by popularity tbh. We can't sit here and say who is the best objectively because they played in different systems and different roles against different players. What I can say with full confidence is that no midfielder has ever dominated games the level Xavi has from 2009 to 2012. It was unprecedented. I've never seen anyone as consistent.

alexjanosik wrote:Is it confirmed that he is leaving?GOD help us if so.Our midfield is pathetic and we cant sign anyone.Fraudrique must convince Xavi to stay on one more season.
Two games in a row,we have been owned in midfield only for Xavi to come on and restore control.All these years,people complained about him only doing useless sideways passes. Well we have seen this season how much his useless sideways passes added to the side.Without them sideways passes,we are getting owned in midfield.
The greatest midfielder of all time.The game has seen the likes of Didi,Netzer,Gerson,Overath,Mathaus,Falcao,Zidane, Scholes,Pirlo etc.
Xavi sits at the top of the food chain.

It's not confirmed yet.

To say Xavi is the greatest midfielder ever is crazy.

He is great and will be remembered as one of the greats, but just like Pele v Maradonna, it is impossible to conclude he is above the rest.

I won't be surprised to see him leave, he doesn't have to stay and if he feels he can make some easy money in the middle east, why not? Just be greatful he isn't planning on joining someone like Atleti, on loan

Agreed with all points Kick said.

Wish him well if he leaves

That touch and control when he came on.
My respect for him has gone up even more at the way he has taken the late subs.
He is an all time great and the greatest midfielder of all time.Plus he is a terrific competitor as well.For the nth time this season,he was brought on as a late sub to close out the game.This time in the 87th minute.Any other player with his CV would probably throw a strop.
And yet,the consummate pro and great teammate that he is, has taken it in his stride.
A champion player with a champion mentality.

You guys can say what you like but I believe he's the greatest midfielder ever.

And agreed with Alex

My love for Xavi is Pep-like. Or is my love for Pep Xavi-like? I'm not sure. Either way, I love them both

His footballing role models: "As a youngster, the player I looked up to was Bernd Schuster. When I got put in central midfield, I used to watch him play and I'd be transfixed. Later I began to model myself on Pep: the way he'd play one-touch passes, how he'd accelerate, the way he'd slow things down, how he shaped himself to receive the ball, looking around in every direction first".

Grounds: "The Camp Nou is the best stadium in the world. It seems bigger than it really is. The Bernabéu is also a great place to play, after the Camp Nou. And 'La Catedral', San Mamés, both the old one and the new one".

The match he remembers most fondly: "The pinnacle, the crowning game, was the 5-0 against Real Madrid. Nothing compares, although the 6-2 away was also amazing. What football, what dominance. We had the ball all the time: when we lost it, we won it back instantly. It was football at its most sublime. The Real Madrid players' heads had dropped as they came off 2-0 down at the break. We ran into the dressing room: we couldn't wait for the second half to begin... we could have scored even more. We were gunning for them because of everything they'd been saying about us".

His soft spot for Athletic de Bilbao: "I love Bilbao. I was there at Christmas, for the Basque Country vs Catalonia match, and though I was wearing a cap, people stopped me on the street. They treated with me such affection and admiration... It's a shame I didn't get to play for Athletic for a couple of years".

His struggle to win over the critics early in his career: "I didn't get recognition until 2008, when I'd been in the team for ten years. If I leaf through papers from years gone by, it makes me laugh: they said I was obsolete, that Edgar Davids made me look good, that I only moved the ball from side to side, they called me 'the windscreen wiper'..."


Read more: Xavi: "The 5-0 against Real Madrid was the pinnacle" - MARCA.com (English version)

imagine if someone like Xavi wasn't appreciated...
Windshield sweeper...
My god...
People watching football only care about goals it seems

Windshield sweeper.

He's the greatest midfielder ever and this is one good interview from him. It'll be a real shame to see him go to a place like Qatar... disappointing to say the least.

I would have liked him to stay for another 5 years for selfish reasons, even if he only makes 10 sub appearances but if someone like Pogba indeed comes next season, he would be behind Rakitic, Iniesta, Pogba and most likely a more developed Rafinha in the pecking order. I think it's a bit too much to ask for someone with Xavi's accolades to accept a role like that when he can just as well make 70 million Euros in a retirement league (that was the reported sum, right?).

No talk about his imminent leave yet?

He'll hold a press tomorrow, to announce his departure. Sad days.

prepare yourselves for sergi roberto

In Samper we trust