Xavi talks Messi, Torre, Lewandowski, and Barça DNA ahead of Juventus clash

Barcelona will be looking to pick up their third victory on the pre-season tour of the USA when they take on Juventus in a friendly at the Cotton Bowl Stadium in Dallas.

The Blaugrana have already gotten the better of Inter Miami and Real Madrid and will want to continue the winning streak to build momentum ahead of the upcoming season.

Manager Xavi Hernandez was at the pre-match press conference ahead of the clash against Juventus, during which he discussed a host of topics ranging from the club’s tactics to the rumours of Lionel Messi’s return.

Starting off, the 42-year-old insisted that the club are putting in serious efforts to build a strong squad and he was happy with how things are shaping up on the pitch.

“The club is working very hard to keep on making the team stronger. As of now, I am very happy with how the team is training and competing on the pitch,” Xavi said.

Despite having some financial issues, Barcelona continue to attract the best of talents as seen by the recruitment they have made this season. Xavi credits it to the Barça DNA and wants to take the team back to the top.

“Players want to come here because this is an exciting project. We are not in the best place right now, but it is still Barça. My dream is for Barcelona to win titles,” he said.

“I am a student of Cruyff and Pep. I will try to put Barcelona back on top of the world. And it is not for my ego, it is for the club,” he added, talking about the major influences on his managerial career and his goals.

There has been a lot of talk over the past couple of days about a possible return to Barcelona for Lionel Messi in 2023. When quizzed about it, the manager replied:

“At the moment, signing Leo Messi is impossible. He has a contract with Paris. It’s not the time to talk about him.”

Xavi also spoke about some of his new signings this summer, including the exciting youngster Pablo Torre, stating that the teenager had left the coaching staff surprised by his abilities.

“Pablo Torre is in first team dynamics right now, and he is surprising us all. His talent is unquestionable. However, that does not mean he will be a permanent first team member this season. He has room to improve….”

The Barça head coach also talked about the marquee signing of Robert Lewandowski and the added competition in the attacking unit, saying:

“Lewandowski is a star and a top professional. I am so happy to have him in my team. Having a lot of players in attack is not a problem. You have to understand that, in current football, with 5 substitutions, there is no longer a fixed starting XI.”

Xavi has had an influence on the incomings at Barcelona this summer. The 42-year-old is reported to have talked to Raphinha to convince him to choose Camp Nou and has done something similar with Jules Kounde, who will be joining imminently.

Talking about his conversations with players he wants to sign, Xavi said: “For players I want the club to sign, I simply tell them the truth. I tell them how beautiful the city is, how important they will be for me, how we will play… etc. That’s how I am. I like to be involved in everything.”

During the presser, Xavi also hailed the appointment of Rafa Marquez as the manager of the Barcelona Atletic team, saying:

“Rafa Márquez is a football legend. It’s an honor to have him in the reserves team. We’re in constant communication and I know he has an extraordinary future.”

Touching on the objectives he has set for the future, Xavi stated: “All I want is for Barca to win and become the best team in the world again. Last year, when I came in November, we gradually improved. We played good football, then fell off again. This year, it’s our obligation to be more consistent.”

“When I do something, I put 100% of my effort into it. Otherwise, why would I do it? I’d rather just stay home,” the Barça manager added.

Source: BarçaTV+