Xavi Hernandez presented an interview at the weekend, which could have a major impact on the Barcelona presidential election. The former player and manager said Joan Laporta, the favorite to secure the fourth title, has turned down the chance to re-sign Lionel Messi in the summer of 2023.
Xavi discussed many topics during an interview with La Vanguardia, one of which was his relationship with fan Hansi Flick. He revealed that the two get along very well, and respect each other.
“My relationship with Hansi Flick is very good. We send each other messages regularly. I always congratulate him on the team, we talk about football. In fact, he once came home because of a difficult situation, and that was an honor for me.”
Xavi was asked to elaborate on this “difficult situation”, and he was relieved that it was related to the management of Barcelona who negotiated with Flick to become the manager of the club while his predecessor was in charge.
“One time he came to apologize when I asked him if the club was really willing to negotiate with him while I was still a coach, in those two or three weeks when the team had already decided to do without me but no one said that to my face. He apologized for that. We talked for more than two hours, it was nice. The team told him not to tell me anything and that’s why he came to me and apologized profusely. He did well.”
Xavi wanted Martin Zubimendi to replace Sergio Busquets
Xavi also revealed that he has asked Barcelona’s management, led by Joan Laporta, to sign Martin Zubimendi in the summer of 2023, when it has been confirmed that Sergio Busquets will leave the club. However, his request was rejected, and eventually, the then Real Sociedad pivot joined Arsenal 12 months later.
“Busquets was about to leave, I asked them to sign Zubimendi, they told me no because of the economic problem, after that Jordi Cruyff left because of the contempt they had for him – that is (Johan) Cruyff, Cruyff’s son. Those who carry the flag of Cruyffism. After a month and a half, they released Mateu (Alemany).
“At that time I also had to leave, when we were the ones making the decisions, the team was growing and increasing, but when they started making decisions, the quality of the team went down, that didn’t happen.
Xavi, who supports Victor Font in the upcoming elections, was very angry with Laporta during the interview. He said that the former president of Barcelona at the time started a campaign against him, which included telling the players things that he said were not true.
“They did a campaign against me in the media and worse, Alejandro dedicated himself to talking to footballers like Sergi Roberto, Araújo, Pedri or Raphinha, and told them that I wanted to sell myself.
“That hurts me because it’s not true, we made a plan because we were included under FFP, we talked about selling just one. In fact, there was a time when Sergi Roberto, who is my friend and former captain, came to me and said ‘Xavi, you really don’t want me to continue?’ And I told him that it was the opposite, that they were killing me directly because they wanted him to revive. “
