The coach spoke to the media before the Barça-Juventus match that will be played at the Cotton Bowl Stadium
“That players like Lewandowski want to come is because of the greatness of this club,” said the player from Egar
Xavi Hernández was, along with Robert Lewandowski, one of the protagonists of the last training session prior to the match between Barça and Juventus at the Cotton Bowl Stadium in Dallas, the third friendly of the Blaugrana tour of the United States. The coach avoided talking about Koundé directly, but he did talk about his grain of sand when convincing footballers to come to the Camp Nou, as has been the case with Lewandowski or Raphinha. Of course, he understands that Barça is to blame for everything, its history and its charisma as a club.
About the Sevilla center-back he only said that “the cub is working to strengthen itself, but I can’t talk about names that we don’t have in the squad. We’ll see. If we have to make anything official, we’ll say so.” In that sense, he did highlight that the players want to come because of “the greatness of the club at a global, historical level, the fact that there is an exciting project also helps, speaking clearly with the player, both the sports management, the president and even the coach in many cases… But I’d say it’s Barça. Even having a not-so-good stage, it’s still Barça and people are excited to play here. There’s hope to get back to the top. That footballers of the stature of Lewandowski want to come here is a success for Barça“.
On the same subject, he added that “we are Barcelona, we go to Australia, to the United States, and people have a passion for Barça. And when you see people get excited, when the new ones see that, Christensen, Kessie, Raphinha, Lewandowski. .. They see that this is Barça and its greatness.” Xavi, culé to the core, is also giving everything when it comes to signing: “I get involved because I’m like that, when I do something I give one hundred percent. If I wouldn’t stay at home, I want them to come here, enjoy, make them feel important, explain the model of the game, but Barça helps, it’s a magnet for footballers”.
Of course, he understands that nothing would be possible without the entire organization: “The work that Mateu and Jordi are doing is extraordinary, whether I am the coach or not. The president, the confidence he gives us to work. I feel very comfortable, we are a family, everyone has their plot and we are all important. We have an exciting project to win titles”.
Exits worry you
The four footballers who stayed in Barcelona know that they have to leave: “I have been very clear with them, since May, and they are looking for solutions, we try to help them so that they can have the opportunity to play because here I told them that it will be impossible. We have time, they too but they know the situation“The one who will not play against Juventus will be Ferran Torres, who has not yet fully recovered from his foot injury: “He has an injury and it bothers him, it is the shooting area, tomorrow (for today) he will not be able to participate” .
Leo Messi and his possible return
Questioned about the options of meeting Leo Messi again at Barça, he assured that he would love it: “Yes, but Leo has a contract, it’s impossible, he’s the best footballer in the world and in history, the president has already said that I hope he doesn’t end the story of Messi with Barça”. Although, yes, he explained that “this is not the time for Leo, but for the players we have”. One of them is Lewandowski, whom he praised again: “If you have the opportunity to sign a type of player like that, a top, humble, professional player… He is helping us a lot. His adaptation, his professionalism, everything is good and the team grows a lot with him”.