Xavi: “I am an asset of Barça and I will not be proactive for any candidate”

Xavi Hernández wanted to make it clear what his role will be in the electoral campaign in an interview in ‘El Periódico de Catalunya’. Apart from interpretations, intentional in some cases, about your bet on one or another candidate, the now Al Sadd coach made it very clear that he has great “respect and affection” for the two great favorites, Joan Laporta and Víctor Font, but that he considers himself an “asset of the club”, so that its intention is “not to be proactive with any candidacy”. This neutral position does not prevent you to recognize that with Font “I have had a lot of relationship in the last five years, in which we have discussed the future of Barça and its sporting needs ”, while points out Laporta “as the best president in the history of Barça”, emphasizing that “he is a person I love very much and I have a great sympathy”.

Xavi, what he will not be able to vote because of the problems of traveling due to the pandemic, he only hopes that in the elections “the best one wins“, Remembering that” if the president of Barça needs me, I will always be there “, as happened with Bartomeu,” who called me and I explained my personal and professional situation “. He made it clear that he doesn't want to be an obstacle to Ronald Koeman's work: “He is the current coach and deserves credit and time. You have to respect him because he is a great in the history of Barça; I don't want people to think that I am running as Barça coach ”.

He was understandable with the entry of Umtiti in the game against Levante: “You can put a defender and not change your ideas. A substitution in the 50th minute is not the same as in the 90th minute. You know that they are going to hang balls on you and you have to win the duels ”. Xavi defined his way of seeing football as a son of Cruyffismo: “I am the son of a very technical way of playing, of understanding the game. I do not represent strength or fury or aggressiveness but understanding. It is the style of Barça, the one who expressed the best generation in our history at Barça and the Spanish team”.

The mythical Barça player tHe also showed his surprise when they announced that he had been chosen in the best eleven of all time: “It is a recognition for life. For me it is more than a Ballon d'Or. I am very proud. To be with those cracks at the side, with Maradona, Messi, Ronaldo, Beckenbauer. I don't know if it's a bit excessive, but it has done me wonderfully “

Stick for Victor Font

Very hard stick for the candidate Victor Font in the electoral race. Xavi Hernandez, the main letter from the visible head of the Yes to the Future platform, which has been working on the project for five years, also wrote a letter previously in which, in addition to praising the virtues of the emirate, it does not get wet in the electoral race and does not take for granted neither his bond with Font, nor his return: “Although later it will be time to take the next step in my career, for now I am focused on enjoying my time here and making the most of the opportunity to play a small role in Qatar's exciting journey to 2022 “.

“While initially I had only planned to stay in Qatar to end my playing career, when I was presented with the opportunity to take over as coach of Al sadd, I was excited. My family and I really loved the Qatari way of life, so it was an excellent opportunity to take the first step of my coaching career, “explains Xavi, who praises the Qataris and the goodness of the country. .

The entire letter:

“Life in Qatar, my training philosophy and the 2022 World Cup project

By Xavi Hernández

There are less than two years left until the World Cup will be held in the Middle East and the Arab world for the first time, and the anticipation is really starting to grow here in Qatar. The country has promised to offer an unbeatable spectacle for fans. Witnessing the pace of preparations since I moved here in 2015, on everything from stadiums and accommodation to road and rail infrastructure, I am confident that it will be an incredible World Cup for both players and fans.

I moved to Qatar to join Al Sadd and extend my playing career. Moving from Barcelona, ​​my hometown, and a club that I love so much, to start over in a completely new part of the world, was a good decision for both me and my family.

At the time, my passion for playing was as strong as ever, but deep down I knew that I could not contribute as much as I would have liked in the field of a club like Barça, where all matches must be won. When I discovered the project of the World Cup in Qatar talking with friends like Raúl, who had already played here, I was really impressed by what the country wanted to achieve on and off the field by organizing the World Cup.

It was a great opportunity for me to continue playing football and, at the same time, participate in a bigger project, with the aim of achieving great things off the field through the programs implemented to achieve positive social change beyond 2022 .

When you walk around Doha and meet its people, their passion for football is clear. I really didn't know what I was going to find when I first moved here as it was a completely new experience for me, leaving Barça after 25 years, to go to a part of the world with a different culture and traditions. But I must admit that I like pretty much everything about living in Qatar. The weather is incredible, with sun almost every day, and it is a very relaxing place to work as the people are very respectful and friendly. It is also a very safe country with very little crime, making it a great place to raise a family.

Since we have lived here, I have been able to spend a lot of quality time with my wife and two young children. Since the training takes place at night most days, I have time to take my daughter to school and then spend the rest of the morning playing with my son. On the weekends, there are many nice things to do. I often go out to eat at one of the many restaurants in Doha, such as Lo Spaghetto, which is excellent for Italian food, or Bibo, a Spanish restaurant, to taste flavors of home. Also, the beach hotels here are amazing and a great place to relax on the weekends, although recently, with the football season in full swing, I haven't had that much time to enjoy this aspect of life in Qatar.

Since moving to Qatar, I have also had the opportunity to work on some amazing charities. One of the projects, Generation Amazing, has earned a place in my heart. Use the power of soccer to empower and educate young people and teach them important life skills. The program recently celebrated its 10th anniversary and it has been a pleasure to watch it grow to the point that it has already helped more than 500,000 people in ten countries. Some of the projects have included the construction of soccer fields in refugee camps and the implementation of sustainable programs to ensure efficient use of the facilities. I have attended opening ceremonies for facilities like these in Jordan and India, and I have seen the impact they have on communities is enormous.

While initially I had only planned to stay in Qatar to end my playing career, when I was presented with the opportunity to assume the position of coach of Al Sadd, I was excited. My family and I really loved Qatar and the way of life here, so it was an excellent opportunity to take the first step in my coaching career and oversee a team with promising players likely to be part of the Qatar national team in 2022. Having played for Al Sadd, I knew it would be a great place to transition into technical skills and help develop some of these players.

It took me a while to adjust to my new life withMy coach, but I'm really enjoying it. My philosophy is the same as when I was a player. I like that football is played in a positive way. As a player I liked to have the ball, maintain possession, go on the attack and create as many chances as possible. I play football based on possession, at a fast pace, and I like my players to understand the importance of playing as a team. Everyone has to defend together and attack together. Above all, players should enjoy playing soccer and the best way to enjoy soccer is to have the ball, create many chances and score many goals. This is how I experienced it as a player, and this is how I want my players to experience football under my guidance.

We will play Al Arabi in the final of the Emir's Cup. It is the most prestigious competition in Qatar and a tournament that all the players here want to win. It will be the first match that It will be played at the Al Rayyan venue, one of eight stadiums that will host World Cup matches in 2022. The match will be held on December 18, Qatar's National Day, and will mark the two-year countdown to the World Cup final. The stadium will also be at 50% capacity, which will be great for the players and should create a good atmosphere and a truly memorable moment after a challenging period for everyone.

In my time here, I have seen that football is developing very well in Qatar. The World Cup project meant that they had to really focus on developing not just first-class facilities and stadiums to host the tournament, but a national team capable of competing on the biggest stage with the best teams in the world. Aspire Academy, which was founded in 2004 to help develop soccer players and other athletes in the country, has been a great success. The new generation of players arriving in Qatar is improving a lot. I can see this improvement with my own players at Al Sadd and it is a privilege to work with them every day and help them gain confidence.

With the current pace of development and having recently won the AFC Asian Cup, I think Qatar can compete very well in its first World Cup in 2022. Soccer culture is growing at tremendous speed here and I think the World Cup will help take them to the next level, not just in Qatar but throughout the Arab world. While later it will be time to take the next step in my career, for now, I am focused on enjoying my time here and making the most of the opportunity to play a small role in Qatar's exciting journey to 2022. “