Xavi heaps heavy praise on Dembele, calls him the best ‘winger’ he’s seen at Barcelona

While Xavi’s on-pitch strategies may still be a debate among fans, it is clear that his off-field work – in press conferences, interviews, and man-management, is going rather well.

The coach keeps praising his players publicly, even if they are not playing well, and often goes as far as to blame himself for not giving minutes to some players.

One player he seems especially fond of is Ousmane Dembele. The French winger’s life has been transformed since Xavi arrived at Barça. He has become one of the best wingers in the world, creating a multitude of chances per game without fail.

Xavi dropped some extremely heavy praise for Dembouz recently, speaking as part of Barcelona’s Amazon Prime documentary.

“I’ve been with Barça for 25 years and I’ve never seen a winger at the same level as Dembele,” he said (h/t Reshad Rahman).

This statement has, as one would expect, created controversy among the Camp Nou faithful. More so because Xavi has played with some extremely talented wingers during his time with Barcelona.

This list, of course, includes Lionel Messi – who was often deployed on the right-wing, playing just ahead of Xavi, who was on the right side of central midfield.

Either way, while the statement is evidently exaggerated, Barcelona fans will be hoping it serves as motivation for Dembele, who is coming off a disastrous World Cup final performance against Argentina.