“It’s a bit like the best cars. Cruyff was the first great model, the mark 1 and Pep is the Mark 2. But I think Xavi will be in the same league when he returns as the coach. When he comes back, he'll be the mark 3” - Dani Alves, ex Barca midfielder.
“Barca’s future needs to be in the hands of someone with Xavi's talent and vision” - Victor Valdes, ex Barca goalkeeper.
“I've got no doubt that he'll be back as a coach one day. He deserves the chance because of the type of player he was here. He'll make an amazing manager. As a player, he saw the whole picture from the pitch. I'm sure, from the sidelines, he'll see it even clearer” - Lionel Messi, ex Barca forward.
“He’ll come back. I don’t know when but he wants to come back. And he has the same football philosophy as Pep” - Sergio Busquets, Barca midfielder
In 2018, a documentary - ‘Take the ball, pass the ball’ was made on Pep Guardiola’s time at FC Barcelona as a coach who formed one of the most influential teams in the history of the game.
These are the thoughts of some of the legendary players from that team, compiled in that documentary. And all these have come true as the midfield maestro, Xavi Hernández, is all set to return to Camp Nou as the new manager of Barcelona.
It was all set up, it was all staged, it was all prepared. And now the moment has finally arrived. After all sorts of speculations, arguably the most anticipated coaching appointments of recent times, is finally happening.
After only six years of retiring from FC Barcelona as one of the greatest midfielders of all time, Xavi Hernández is back where he always belonged.
Not like the glorious times he had with Barcelona back then, he will have the job to save a sinking ship this time.
Plenty has changed since he left Barca. Even if someone compares present-day Barcelona with the team Xavi left, they’ll see a shadow chasing a skeleton.
After Roma and Anfield debacles under Valverde, catastrophic 8-2 under Setien and one of the worst looking Barca sides ever under Koeman, Barca needed someone not only to save them from the crisis but to connect the dots, to link the past glory to this day, to mend the torn glorious pages.
And for quite a long, Xavi has been regarded as perfect for that job. Now that Xavi is here, it will be a huge relief in the fresh air after suffocation for fans and club management alike.
Although it is still uncertain whether he is a planned signing by the current board or a reactionary one, either way, Barca fans do consider it a win.
They want to welcome their hero and their presumed saviour with all the warmth. They want Xavi to show the magic that he showed in the field.
Barca’s last UCL triumph was led by him. The club is once again depending on him for that European glory, only this time Xavi being the leader on the sideline, off the field, everywhere.
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