Tribal Football

Xavi opens door to coaching return; recalls Barcelona exit

Paul Vegas
Xavi opens door to coaching return; recalls Barcelona exit
Xavi opens door to coaching return; recalls Barcelona exitLaLiga
Former Barcelona coach Xavi says he's ready to return to football.

The Catalan was sacked by Barca at the end of last season and has stayed away from the game so far this term.

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Speaking with France Football, Xavi discussed his coaching approach and his plans for the future.

He said, "I like watching teams that play ball. Coaches like (Pep) Guardiola, Arne Slot at Liverpool, (Vincent) Kompany at Bayern , but also watching the championships in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Portugal... I want my players to have fun, develop a style of football that is attractive to the fans and win titles. I want to win the Champions League, the European Championship, the World Cup... 

"I don't have anything set in stone, I'm open to offers. Why not coach another La Liga team? I'm looking for an exciting project, I have the ambition to win trophies.

"Why not coach another team in La Liga? I'm open to offers."

Xavi also said, "(Johan) Cruyff had a huge impact on me. For me, football is first and foremost a game. Of course, the goal is to win, but that's natural if you play well and have fun on the pitch. My philosophy is based on four 'P's : Pressure, to quickly recover the ball; Possession, because if I don't have the ball 90% of the time, I suffer; Position, everyone occupies an area and knows where their teammate is; and Perception, understanding the game and anticipating in order to make the best decisions.

"I would even add a fifth 'P': Passion, because if the player feels fulfilled, he will experience success more naturally."

 

 

Asked about the best coaches, Xavi insists they all have midfield playing careers.

He added, "La Masia and my position in midfield gave me an advantage. I always saw football as a whole. I didn't just think about defending or attacking, but about building. For me, the best coaches are former midfielders : Guardiola, (Louis) Van Gaal, (Carlo) Ancelotti, Xabi Alonso, (Mikel) Arteta..."

On his return to Barca, Xavi also said: "Barça had already come looking for me twice before (president Joan) Laporta, but I still didn't feel ready. That's why I spent two and a half seasons at Al Sadd, where I was able to train, try things out and win titles.

"My first year and a half at Barça was very, very good . We finished second before winning LaLiga in 2023, as well as the Spanish Super Cup. Then, the results were less good. The departures of Jordi Cruyff and Mateu Alemany were hard blows."