Lionel Messi scored a spectacular double the same night he equaled Xavi Hernandez's appearance record for Barcelona, the Photo: VCG Xavi Hernandez said Barcelona's players will have to play by his rules and raise their standards as the club's new coach laid down a firm message at his unveiling on Monday.
Xavi was presented in front of almost 10, fans at Camp Nou before signing his contract on the pitch, alongside his family and Barca President Joan Laporta.
The year-old, who has returned to the club where he won eight La Liga titles and four Champions Leagues as a player, walked out to chants of "Xavi, Xavi" from his adoring supporters. Laporta said, "Today will be an historic day for Barca. But in a press conference after the presentation ceremony, Xavi's main theme was less about style and more about substance, the Spaniard emphasising the first priority is to restore order.
When I had rules in the dressing room, things went well. Everyone in Barcelona knows how Xavi sees the game. Fewer fans are aware of what a Xavi team actually looks like - but for the past two years, he has been in charge of Al Sadd in Qatar.
Strip away the emotion and the sentiment and who is Xavi, the coach? Speak to those who have studied his teams closer than anyone else and it seems that the year-old Catalan has spent his time practising precisely what he has long preached.
Bjarki Mar Olafsson knows Xavi's methods better than most. Olafsson did the analysis. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player. Xavi signed for Al Sadd in , spending four seasons with the club as a player before taking over as coach.
During that time, the team's approach evolved considerably. But what Al Sadd was before was a side that depended a lot on individual qualities to make the difference. As soon as he took over, what I liked a lot was that it was all about collectivism.
But he is able to bring out collectivism in all phases of play and make the team work together. He is able to get the best out of every player and harvest the quality of every single one to work for the team. I really like that about him. He had to make a lot of difficult decisions but what he has been able to do is create a unit and manage the group really well. It has been fantastic to see. Last season, they won the title by 13 points, scoring the most goals, conceding the fewest goals, and remaining unbeaten throughout.
They also won both cup competitions. Dominating every single phase of play. When they don't have the ball it is such an intense, high-pressing style.
They just want to have the ball at all times. They are not all about keeping the ball. The water is flowing and if you try to put a rock there to block it, it will just find another way around it. That is what his attacking play is all about. At the turn of the century, Raul was one of the best players on the planet. During his career at Real Madrid , he made over appearances and won six LaLiga titles and three Champions Leagues.
He was too early for Spain's golden generation, though. No one has scored more goals for Spain than David Villa. The former Valencia, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid forward netted 59 goals for his country, as well as hundreds more at club level. Nobody in the history of football has won more European Cups than Gento , who claimed six winners' medals with Real Madrid in the s and 60s.
Like Suarez, he was in the Spain squad that lifted the European Championship.
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