Barcelona Hail Return Of ‘Absolute Legend’ Xavi As Coach

By Daily Sports on November 6, 2021

Barcelona confirmed the return of Xavi Hernandez as coach on Saturday, with the legendary midfielder facing an immense challenge to restore the fallen Spanish giants to their former glory.

The Spaniard left Camp Nou to play for Al Sadd in 2015, after making 767 appearances for the Catalan club, which included winning eight LaLiga titles and four Champions Leagues.

"It's time to come home. Welcome, Xavi," Barca tweeted.

"It wasn't goodbye, it was see you later," it wrote, along with a video montage of the player's departure in 2015.

Barcelona said in a statement it had reached an agreement with Xavi to become first team coach for the rest of the current season and two more seasons, replacing the sacked Ronald Koeman.

"It is expected that Xavi Hernandez will arrive in Barcelona this weekend and that on Monday 8 November his presentation as new FC Barcelona first team coach will take place in an event open to the public at Camp Nou," it said.

Nicknamed the "Maquina" (the Machine), Xavi is widely considered one of the club's greatest ever players and there is huge excitement about his potential as a coach after his influence on the iconic Barca team managed by Pep Guardiola.

His passing style was seen as the embodiment of Guardiola's "tiki-taka" team that won the treble in 2009.

"One of the greatest midfield maestros of all time, he helped redefine the art with his creative mind, pinpoint passing and sublime ability to read the game," Barca said in their statement, heralding the return of "an absolute legend".

Qatari club Al Sadd, which Xavi had coached since 2019, hours earlier said they had reached an agreement with Barca and posted photos on social media of the Spaniard saying goodbye to the players and staff.

'THE DREAM'

Barcelona's attempt to appoint Xavi as coach had been held up on Friday over his Al Sadd release clause, with Xavi and Barca considering splitting the payment to complete the deal.

Al Sadd said Barca had agreed to pay the clause in Xavi's contract, which is reportedly set at around five million euros ($5.8 million), but Barcelona did not give any details of the deal in their statement.

Xavi had made no secret of his desire to return to Barcelona, which he joined through the club's La Masia academy at the age of 11.

"My main objective, when I can do it, is Barca," Xavi told the sports daily Marca last year. "It's my home, that's the dream."

There are high hopes Xavi can draw on his incredible playing career to revive Barcelona, who currently sit ninth in LaLiga, with concerns growing they might not finish in the top four.

The club are also in dire financial straits, having posted debts of 1.35 billion euros.

Xavi faces a formidable challenge after Barcelona let Lionel Messi join Paris Saint-Germain in the summer.

In Europe, Barca face a fight even to qualify for the knock-out stages of the Champions League while any rebuild will have to be carried out on a shoestring budget as the club struggles to deal with the debts it partly built up paying Messi's wages.

Xavi will also be charged with improving the team's style of play, which was a key criticism during the tenure of Koeman, another former Barca player. (AFP)

•PHOTO: Barca Boss Xavi

Source Daily Sports

Posted November 6, 2021


 

You may also like...
Anthony Joshua Declares Racism ‘A Pandemic’ At Black...

NFF Unveils Priorities For 2020

BREAKING NEWS: Anthony Joshua stops Alexander Povetkin to...

John Terry set to leave Chelsea after 22-year...

Turkey Legend Rustu In Hospital With Coronavirus

Troost-Ekong: No Regrets Choosing Nigeria Over Holland

 

Latest News CAF awards: Ajibade, Nnadozie, Edo Queens bag nominations Lagos SWAN, PAACC Hold SWAN Day At Golfview Hotels, Ikeja Crisis looms as Eagles’ form raises AFCON, W’Cup concerns Ex-Nigerian Super Falcons player handcuffed, children assaulted as police storm Anambra Football Academy Sports NFF, teammates console Nwabali on father’s death Abia Govt hails Nigeria Olympic Committee over staging an admin course in Umuahia Libya deliver Eagles 2025 AFCON ticket Eagles battle Cheetahs for 2025 AFCON ticket Yellow Greens gear up for T20 W’Cup qualifiers Tyson tips Fury to beat Joshua Sadiq absent as 22 Eagles train in Abidjan Eagles’ striking trio hot for Cheetahs, Amavubi clashes

 

Most Read Rangers International going, going . . . (55,163 views) Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (46,307 views) Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (44,370 views) Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (44,015 views) Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (43,948 views) Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (43,904 views) Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (43,742 views) NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (43,311 views) Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (42,366 views) Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (41,054 views) Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (39,506 views) John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (38,931 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