Xavi

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Barcelona legend, Xavi donates yacht to NGO

Barcelona legend, Xavi Hernández has donated his yacht to Proactiva Open Arms (POA), a Spanish NGO dedicated to saving lives in the sea. Funds from the yacht which will be sold at a public auction will be used to help the refugees escaping from their native countries by boat.

“The Soccer Player Xavi Hernández Collaborates with Proactiva Open Arms with the donation of a recreational craft to be auctioned in the near future. Hew as introduced to our work a while ago and decided to donate his yacht to obtain more resources in order to ensure the permanence of the mission.
Thank you, Xavi, gestures like yours, will save many lives” POA wrote on Facebook.
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Xavi wants to coach Barca

Barcelona legend, Xavi Hernandez has revealed his intention to manage the Catalan Giants in the future. The 36-year-old who left the sanish club for Doha-based Al Sadd in 2015 after making more than 700 appearances  and winning 25 trophies disclosed this during an interview in the May 2016 issue of FourFourTwo magazine. 
 “I have no doubts. I want to stay in football, being close to the pitch. I would hate being stuck in an office. I want to do something properly or not at all. My ultimate objective is to coach Barcelona.  I’m not hiding that. I want to work again for that house I consider a home.
“Whenever I have 10 minutes to myself, bang – the football goes on the TV. My wife knows that, and she hates football,” he laughs. “I’ll put on La Liga and keep an eye on the Premier League games, too. I’ll study the line-ups, and who’s scored, on my phone.” He hinted.

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Xavi slams Madrid for Casillas's poor send-off

Spanish midfielder, Xavi Hernández has slammed Spanish club, Real Madrid for failing to give one of its long-serving players, Iker Casillas a deserving send-off before he switched to Porto FC. 

Unlike the ace goalkeeper, Xavi was treated to a grand farewell by his former club, Barcelona. The 35 year-old conveyed his thoughts in a letter which was published in the newspaper, Vanguardia. Excerpts below

“I met Iker in the U-17 World Cup in Egypt and we got on immediately. Whenever anyone asks me about him, the answer is always the same: “He’s a really great bloke. That’s why it really gets me what is happening. Over the past few years I have seen how he didn’t enjoy it as much as he used to. Sometimes I even saw him bitter and I think that all of us in this country have to stop and reflect on this. It cannot be that sportspeople in Spain can’t get older without people being disrespectful to them, looking for faults at times very nastily.”

“The same thing is happening with Rafa Nadal, the best Spanish sports person of all time. Now Casillas is going to Porto and I am sure that he will get a hero’s welcome. He is appreciated more abroad. Iker deserved to be treated in the same way that he treated everybody. For me, he is the most decisive goalkeeper in all history. What saves. Maybe his footwork wasn’t the best, but I have never seen a more intuitive guy between the sticks.”

“He made history with the national team in that famous penalty shoot-out against Italy. ‘Take it easy, Luis, we’ve got Iker, who is on fire’, I told Aragonés. What I’m most happy about is that we have been able to maintain our friendship despite our different team colours. The way he left Real Madird really upsets me. It saddens me. I wish you all the very best in your time at Porto, my friend.”

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Xavi opens up on his row with Neymar during Barca's title celebrations.

Barcelona legend, Xavi has lifted the lid on his altercation with ex teammate, Neymar during Barcelona’s title celebrations. Xavi who was filmed during the open-top bus parade shoving Neymar in the face told Qatari newspaper that “He was trying to take my shoes off and pushing me when I was on the edge of the bus. I said that they should stop messing about and concentrate on the people that had come out to wave as the bus passed.

He continued “These parades are for the people after all. It’s okay to
have three or four beers but the parade is for the people and it’s the chance for us to thank them for our support. You can’t just do what you want to do.”

“This sort of thing is accepted in Brazil but here he will need to learn how to win and to lose. He is an extraordinary player who also works hard and is very humble but he maybe just needs to reflect a little. If you do that [trick] in the first minute when it’s 0-0 it is one thing but if you do it when he did it… he needs to think about that.”



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Barcelona pay tribute to Xavi as they celebrate title win.

Barcelona midfield maestro, Xavi Hernandez bade an emotional farewell to Camp Nou today. It was the final game of the season and his last La Liga game at Barcelona FC (as he has two more to go). After the game ended, players took to the field to celebrate a well-deserved title win.

Moments before the kick-off, a huge banner of the legend was displayed by fans in the stadium.
The 35-year-old joined the Spanish club at age 11 in 1991 before making his debut in 1998. He has won 8 La Liga titles, 2 Spanish Cups and 3 Champions League trophies.
He will be joining Al-Sadd an Arabian club next season.

The Spaniard who was overwhelmed with tears gave a touching speech before joining the rest of his teammates in celebrating the title win.

 “Many thanks for everything. You’ve made me the proudest man in the world, today and in those 17 seasons. This is the best club in the world. This isn’t over yet. As the coach said, we want the Cup and the Champions League too.‎ I tried to control my emotions, but in the end it wasn’t possible. I’ll miss everything about Barça.‎” He said.

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"It's a definite decision but a difficult one." Spanish legend, Xavi announces Barcelona exit.

After spending two decades in the club, spanish midfield maestro Xavi Hernandez at a press conference today officially announced his exit from his childhood club, Barcelona FC. He will be moving to Al Sadd in Qatar.
The 35-year-old joined the Blaugrana as an 11-year-old in 1991 before making his debut in 1998. He has won 8 La Liga titles, 2 Spanish Cups and 3 Champions League trophies.
If he wins one more title in the coming weeks, he will become the most decorated player in Spanish football history
‎

“I would like to announce and confirm my departure from Barca at the end of the season. It’s a definite decision but a difficult one.




“I’ve been at the club for almost 25 years but this is the time for me to leave. I have a thrilling project in Qatar, I will play for Al-Sadd the next two seasons.
“I also have an enthusiastic project in the Aspire academy (a sporting academy based in Qatar). I will be able to work towards becoming a coach or a sporting director in the future.
“My hope and aim is for one day to return to work for Barca. I did well to remain for another season even though I’ve had less playing time. Barca recently offered me a contract extension until June 2018 but the decision had been taken.
“I could not have asked for a better career and I want to thank the Barca fans, who have treated me very well. I’m very happy with how things have gone and I leave having given everything.”
I’m looking forward to lift the Liga trophy in front of the fans on Saturday. They’ve treated me incredibly, I want to say goodbye. A few teammates knew it already. 
Today, I’ve formally told it to the whole squad and the coach. But it was already clear for a while. But I’m perfectly happy. I’ve had the best career I could have at Barça.
It hasn’t always been easy. There were a lot of doubters at the start. But I’m very stubborn, and very culer. I didn’t tell my mother about Barcelona’s renewal offer, because she’s an even bigger Barça fan than me. 
“I still have to talk with Guardiola about Qatar, we already exchanged some messages. I’ve already talked with Raul. It will be difficult to put on another shirt. I’ve worn the Barça shirt since I was 10-11. There are three games left now.
“I will miss Leo, Andres, Busi, Pedro, all my friends… But that’s life.”Fans gave me goosebumps wit their chants of ‘Xavi, quedate’ (Xavi, stay). Makes you think, but it’s the right moment to go.”‎

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Angel Di Maria on Barcelona's radar

Barcelona FC are reportedly looking to replace their outgoing midfield ace, Xavi Hernandez with Argentine international, Angel di Maria. According to sources, the Manchester United midfielder is far from happy with his current situation in Old Trafford and he’s seeking an exit.
The 27 year-old winger who left Real Madrid for the English team in the summer of 2014 at a record of £75 million, featured in 21 of Manchester United’s 30 Premier League matches so far is also on french club, Paris Saint Germain’s radar.
Although Barcelona are currently banned from signing any player since 2016, the club is confident of signing him come January.
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Left to Barcelona star, Xavi, Cristiano Ronaldo would not even be in top three for Ballon d'Or.

To most football fans out there, Xavi must have had several bottles of alcohol before he spilled those words out. Speaking in a recent interview, the Barcelona legend stated that World Cup performances of Ballon D’Or nominees ‎should be the criterion for picking this year’s winner. 
Asked who his top 3 would be if he had been Spain’s captain, the midfield ace picked Lionel Messi, Philipp Lahm and Javier Mascherano and left Real Madrid goal machine, Cristiano Ronaldo out.
“The thing is, Cristiano didn’t do much in the World Cup and I think that in the year of the World Cup that defines much of the season. He added
And on Messi’s chances of winning, the 34 year-old said, “He is the best player in the world and we have to live with these responses. But I see him happy and content. Very different to last year when he suffered that beastly injury that kept him off the field of play for two months, also with the World Cup on the horizon, it wasn’t an easy year for anybody. But this year he’s at the top, we are really enjoying it with him on the pitch. He’s performing like the best Messi.‎”

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"My time there has finished." Spain midfielder, Xavi announces retirement from international football.

Spain/Barcelona midfielder, Xavi Hernandez has retired from international football. The 34 year-old who won 133 caps made his international debut in 2010 announced his decision to hang his boot in a press conference held today in Barcelona.


“I’ve taken the decision to leave the national team. My time there has finished. From now on I’m another fan of the Spain team. I’m grateful to everybody at the Federation (RFEF), it’s been a marvellous time for me to be there for so many years and have so much success. I’m leaving very proud and I wish them all the best.” He affirmed.
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