The match was the former Manchester City player Ilkay Gündoğan’s league debut in the Barcelona shirt.
Browsing: Xavi Hernandez
Xavi’s side saw their European exploits come to an end for the season after they let a one-goal lead slip at Old Trafford to lose 1-2 to Manchester United.
The 34-year-old added to Sergi Roberto’s opener as two goals late in the first half undid the Cadiz side.
Unbeaten in their last 14 matches in all competitions, FC Barcelona are on a four-game winning streak in LaLiga.
Barca, therefore, will play in the Europa League in the new year regardless of their results against Bayern Munich at Camp Nou later on Wednesday and in their final match in Plzen next week.
That’s according to Okdiario’s chief pundit Eduardo Inda, when speaking on El Chiringuito.
“He wants to be there and shows commitment. We will see if it is enough. If he’s not 100 percent fit, he won’t play,” Xavi told a news conference on Wednesday.
Aston Villa will pay around half Coutinho’s salary for the duration of the deal, which will expire in the summer.
Ahead of victory over Elche, Xavi stated in Barcelona’s pre-match press conference on Friday that his team still retains hope of winning LaLiga Santander, but Ancelotti is not worried about the Blaugrana.
A surprise defeat at Camp Nou damages Barca’s bid to qualify for next season’s Champions League, four days before they attempt to avoid crashing out in the group stage of the current one. Barca have to win at Bayern Munich on Wednesday to be sure of going through.
The match was Xavi’s first in charge of a Champions League match for FC Barcelona after leading the team to a 1-0 win against Espanyol in his LaLiga opener since taking the reins for the Catalans.
The Blaugrana legend was confirmed as Ronald Koeman‘s replacement on Monday when he was unveiled to supporters at Camp Nou.
Xavi walked out to chants of “Xavi, Xavi” before signing his contract on the pitch, alongside his family and Barca president Joan Laporta.
The 41-year-old leaves Qatari side Al Sadd, with whom he won a league title as a player in 2019 before adding another as a manager earlier this year.
On the back of parting ways with Ronald Koeman, the Catalan giants have been attempting to secure a reunion with their legendary midfielder.
Xavi takes charge of what should be his last game as coach of Al Saad on Wednesday.
Xavi, who renewed his contract with the Qatari club on July 5, said he will self-isolate as his team prepares for their first match on Saturday after the Qatar Stars League was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The contract renewal has come amid speculations he could return to his former club, FC Barcelona.
Spanish media had reported that Xavi, who coaches Qatari club Al Sadd, had been approached by Barca to replace Ernesto Valverde before Quique Setien was appointed in January.
Barcelona legend Xavi Hernandez has donated €1 million to a hospital in the city to help its overburdened health care system deal with the coronavirus pandemic.