Xavi Says Coaching Barca Remains His ‘Primary Goal’

By Daily Sports on July 29, 2020

Xavi Hernandez, who is coaching Al-Sadd in Qatar, says his “primary goal” is to coach Barcelona where he won a host of trophies, but he is focused on his current job.

Xavi also said he was “fine” after testing positive for coronavirus.

“I do not hide, and I have always said, that my primary goal, when it happens, is Barca. It’s my home and would be a dream,” said Xavi in an interview published Tuesday in the Madrid sports newspaper Marca.

“But now I am focused on Al-Sadd, excited about the new season. When Barca comes, in the short or long term, it will come,” he said, adding that he did not want to destabilise the current coach, Quique Setien.

“Above all, we have to respect Quique Setien and I wish the team all the best,” said Xavi. “Sometimes Barca plays very well, sometimes well, and sometimes not so well. But I like Setien’s idea, now and with his previous teams: to dominate and to make a beautiful game.”

Xavi’s name has come up repeatedly as a replacement for Setien, but club president Josep Maria Bartomeu insists he is sticking with his current coach.

“I have an excellent relationship with Xavi and we talked about many issues. But next year Quique Setien has a contract and he is the one we hired,” Bartomeu told Barcelona-based sports newspaper Mundo Deportivo on Sunday.

Xavi has been quarantined in Qatar after catching COVID-19.

“I feel good, although isolated, logically. And I’m looking forward to training soon,” he said.

Xavi, who played for Al-Sadd from 2015 to 2019 and then became coach, also said he thought Qatar would host a “historic” World Cup in 2022.

“It will be an historic Cup, without a doubt. People are going to be surprised at what the country is like. In general, there are a lot of prejudices and a lot of unfounded criticism. Qatar has everything: a small, hospitable and generous country,” he said.

He added that he looked forward to seeing former Barcelona teammate Lionel Messi playing at the World Cup.

“I see Leo playing until he wants to. Physically, he’s fast, strong, a competitive beast, a physical animal. I have no doubt that he will play at Qatar 2022,” Xavi said. (Reuters)

•PHOTO: Xavi Hernandez 

Source Daily Sports

Posted July 29, 2020


 

You may also like...
Maradona Autographs Shirt To Help Buenos Aires Poor...

Fans to Peseiro: Invite Akpom to Eagles

Arsenal’s FA Cup Win: Triumph of good football...

Bassey confident of Ajax league title

Spanish FA official arrested for embezzlement

Unstoppable Liverpool See Off Leicester To Stretch Premiership...

 

Latest News Hearn slams Ngannou over Joshua defeat excuse Chelsea eye Martinez to replace Osimhen Visa unveils Amusan, Nwachukwu as global ambassadors I’m not under pressure to coach Eagles – Finidi Super Eagles focused on World Cup qualifiers – Omeruo Ibrahim: Striker who wants to emulate Lukaku at Chelsea Boniface ranked best African performer in Europe Napoli may reduce Osimhen price tag Mali beat Nigeria 2-0 in international friendly NOC commends Team Nigeria, government, media for victory at African Games JOF U-13 Cup: 8 Clubs Qualify For Quarterfinals Osimhen resumes training, fit for Atalanta clash

 

Most Read Rangers International going, going . . . (53,387 views) Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (44,394 views) Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (42,544 views) Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (42,216 views) Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (42,000 views) Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (41,877 views) Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (41,761 views) NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (41,219 views) Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (40,269 views) Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (39,180 views) Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (37,629 views) John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (37,205 views)

 

Phone numbers

Tel: +234(0)8066020976
+234(0)8055068145
+234(0)7013416146
+234(0)8094272884

Email addresses

info@dailysportsng.com
support@dailysportsng.com
publisher@dailysportsng.com

Office address

No 3, Adetoun Close, Off College Road, Ogba, Ikeja Lagos.
Website: www.dailysportsng.com

Social Media