On Monday, Xavi was introduced at Barcelona. The new coach of the Catalans spoke about his ex-teammates, Ousmane Dembelé, Pep Guardiola – and about a tempting job offer.
They have already been on the pitch together at Barcelona, but Xavi almost trained this Paris St. Germain striker as well. But it is not Lionel Messi. It’s Neymar.
It wouldn’t have taken much for Xavi to become coach of the Brazilian national team. The 41-year-old revealed this on Monday during his presentation at Camp Nou. Coach Tite had offered him to join the coaching staff right now, “after the World Cup in Qatar I would have taken over the team,” Xavi explained.
It would have been a novelty, never before has a foreigner coached the Selecao. Instead, Xavi followed a trend: taking over his ex-club, his heart’s club.
That’s what Pep Guardiola, another original Catalan, had once done. Xavi wants to emulate his former boss. “For me, he is the best coach in the world, so for me it can only be a distinction to be compared to him.” With possession and pressing, Xavi wants to make Barcelona the Barcelona it once was. Guardiola was “a master” in this respect, Xavi said.
He doesn’t need to explain much to a few companions, with whom he bagged a lot of trophies in the good old Barça days with this tactic. With Piqué, for example, or with Sergio Busquets. Xavi made no secret of the fact that they must now lead the way: “I will demand more from them than from the others,” he said. Piqué, Busquets, Alba, but also Marc-André ter Stegen and Sergi Roberto “have to run the show. They will have even more power in the dressing room. “
Dembelé’s contract extension has “priority “
Barcelona must also rely on the youngsters due to the catastrophic financial situation – by the way, Xavi had to pay half of the fixed exit clause to Al-Sadd out of his own pocket, according to reports – and he wants to “help” these players. He also made a surprisingly clear statement about Ousmane Dembelé (24), who is controversial in Catalonia, not least because of his susceptibility to injury. The ex-Dortmund player’s contract expires in the summer, and talks about an extension are said to have taken place several times. According to Sport, Dembelé has now decided to stay, and a three-year contract is on the cards.
Xavi outed himself as a fan of the winger. If he works well, he could become “the best footballer in the world in his position. His prerequisites are spectacular. For me, as things stand, his contract extension is a priority.” When he conducted his first training session on Tuesday, however, he was unable to get a picture of Dembelé. He is once again injured.
