Xavi talks Pep comparisons, Dembele, transfer plans, tactics, injury concerns at Barcelona presentation

Monday afternoon saw Barcelona present club legend Xavi Hernandez as their new manager at Camp Nou. The 41-year-old returned to Camp Nou six years after he left as a player, to now lead the club away from the current malaise and back to the top.

The former Spanish international takes over the reins from Ronald Koeman, who was sacked last month after a torrid run of results.

Xavi was presented to a rousing cheer from the supporters at Camp Nou, following which he addressed the media regarding various topics ranging from his appointment to plans for the winter transfer window and the injury issues among other things.

Xavi thanks fans, outlines roadmap for the future

Xavi opened up on the emotions he was going through upon returning to Barcelona. The former midfielder also thanked fans for the reception he was given.

“I’m really excited. That’s the word. Tomorrow we’ll start. I’m back at home. We’re in a difficult situation, but we have the ambition. I’m thankful for the confidence of the club. The reception that the fans have given me is worth a lot to me,” he said.

Conveying his plans for the players and team in the immediate future, the 41-year-old said: “To the players I want to convey positivity, demand… We must seek excellence. I have clear ideas. Demand, teamwork… In general, a clear idea of ​​the game, we have to transmit it and convince the players.”

Guardiola comparisons, Messi’s message

Xavi has been compared to his former manager Pep Guardiola, who was also in attendance for the presentation. Like the 2010 FIFA World Cup winner, Guardiola was also a decorated midfielder at Barca before taking on as the first-team boss even though he had little managerial experience at the highest level.

Pep took the team to great heights and fans are hoping for a similar success story under Xavi. On being compared to the current Manchester City boss, the 41-year-old said: “Being compared to Guardiola is already a success. He is the best coach in the world for me.”

Xavi also spoke about being in touch with former teammate and fellow Barcelona legend, Lionel Messi, saying: “I have a friendship with Leo. And yes, he has written to me to wish me good luck.”

Injuries and dressing room atmosphere

There have been a lot of injury setbacks for Barcelona this season and questions have been asked about the club’s medical department. Tackling those, the new manager said: “We are worried. We have to put order and see what the problem is. We will try to make the players stay fit for as long as possible. There are still talks with the President pending, but this problem must be solved.

“There have been injuries, and this is normal, but now there are too many. We must reinforce prevention, strength, gym work. And see if they trained well, which I don’t know.”

Xavi then also opened up on the kind of atmosphere he wants to cultivate in the dressing room, stressing the importance of having rules in place. “Things have gone well for us when there have been rules in the dressing room. Without rules, we have done badly.”

The club icon also opened that he would speak to players individually in order to help address their problems on the field and any mental blocks they may be facing due to the pressure of representing Barca. “From the outside I notice that there are players who feel a lot of pressure, the psychological issue is very hard, but we will work with them. I want to help them, personally and professionally, talk to them to see what the problem is,” he said.

Debut against Espanyol

Xavi’s first game as Barcelona manager will come on November 20 against local rivals Espanyol in the Catalan derby. Speaking about the preparations for the game, the former midfielder said: “We are thinking about Espanyol, we will prepare it to win it. Barça means winning. We will work very hard, with great demand for the results to come. We are united and it is a medium-long-term project.”

“The idea is to recover players from injuries and all row in the same direction. There are many issues to talk about. We’ll try to convey the idea as soon as possible so that the players understand it and be able to compete against Espanyol.”

Plans for January transfer window

Xavi admitted that discussions over the plans for the January transfer window were already taking place, highlighting that signing a winger could be on the cards.

“We are talking about many things and one of them is the winter market. We have wingers of a good level, we have to recover the injured players, we have to see what the forecast is with Ansu… I want to play with wide wingers.

“We are going to assess the transfer issue with the club and we are going to decide, it is still early, but we are going to work to try to strengthen the team. Any market is an opportunity, always,” he said.

Ousmane Dembele and the French contingent

Xavi also spoke about the perennially injured Barcelona star, Ousmane Dembele. The Frenchman had only recently returned from a lengthy spell on the sidelines but picked up another knock in his first game back. “Dembélé, well prepared, can be the best player in the world in his position, he has the qualities to make a difference at Barça and to become a world star,” he said.

Addressing the situation of out-of-favour French duo, Clement Lenglet and Samuel Umtiti, he added: “They all start from scratch and I count on all the players at Barça. I can’t comment on how Umtiti or Lenglet are. They all start from scratch and we are going to see them.”

Barcelona return and turning down Brazil

Xavi thanked Barcelona president Joan Laporta for believing in him, while also opening up on the previous approaches from the club which he had turned down. “Laporta is the best President this club has ever had. He called me and I had no doubts. It seems to me that his board is extraordinary.

“Barça came to see me twice, in January and in the summer of 2020. I didn’t feel it. Besides, there were elections in the middle,” he added.

The former Spain international also confirmed that he had turned down an approach to manage the Brazilian national team, saying: “It’s true. I spoke with the federation of Brazil to take over the national team after Tite, after the World Cup, but my dream was to come to Barca.”

Tactics and challenges ahead

Opening up on the challenges that the Barcelona job entails, Xavi said: “They taught me here that when you draw or lose this is a funeral, when you don’t win there are consequences. Barcelona is the most difficult club in the world, because you have to win and convince. I will try to return to excellence.”

On the style of play and tactics that fans can expect from his team, the new Barca manager said: “My first defender is the forward, and my first forward is the goalkeeper. It is the Cruyff philosophy, everything depends on everyone. More than the system, what I want is the model: press, win the ball, dominate, create more chances than the opposition.”

“We want high pressure, get the ball back in the opposing half, be intense, go on the attack, a team that leaves everything on the pitch. The best way to win is to play well, all the ways to win are respectable, but ours is to play well, it is the Barcelonaa DNA, with this style we have won at Barca and at the national team.”

Addressing the players, the old and the new

Xavi will see a lot of familiar faces in the dressing room, with as many as five of his former teammates still being key players of the Barca first-team. At the same time, there have been a host of young talent coming through that have taken the centre stage.

Elaborating on his planned approach for his ex-teammates, Xavi said: “The players I know the best are precisely the ones I will push the most, I know them, I know their strengths and weaknesses. For me it is an advantage, I have no problem,” he said.

“I know Gerard, Busquets, Alba, Ter Stegen and Sergi Roberto perfectly. I have already spoken with the Barça captains and the truth is that I have a good relationship with them. They will be very important to set an example and mark the way of doing things.”

Speaking of the young talent at the club, he added: “The great performances of very young players like Gavi, Nico, Balde… It is surprising being so young, especially the case of Gavi with the national team at the age of 17. We have a great generation of young players and we have to take advantage of it.”

Concluding the press conference, Xavi stated: “The first objective is to set the standards and talk about respect and values within the team. And then the other things will come, and we will see how we attack and how we defend, but this is the first thing.”

Source: BarcaTV+