Xavi Hernández and Andrés Iniesta were two of the standard bearers of a glorious era both in the Spanish team and in Barça. Forged in La Masia, with that genuine Barça DNA and that exquisite way of handling the ball. Friends, colleagues. With the manchego We chatted at the Iniesta Academy campus in Llívia.
How have you experienced this whole process with Xavi?
From the outside, well…it hasn’t been easy in the sense of how things have developed or how things have happened. That’s the only thing you can say, in the end he was a teammate and he is my friend and the situation as it happened was not the most ideal, but it happened that way and from there each one will look for the best. The club for the club and we will see Xavi soon where he can continue training…
You continue to attract kids to your campus and many of them have not even seen you active with Barça and Spain…
Sometimes it shocks you. A boy of 8-10 years old comes to see you, who has not seen me play live or at Barça, but fortunately or I don’t know if unfortunately, nowadays with the whole issue of networks, YouTube, 100,000 stories, the networks, everyone has access to everything. The youngest players right now can tell you players from 20 years ago. Families also tell them about the legends.
Has Andrés Iniesta defined what he is going to do with his life next year?
I’m thinking about it right now, I don’t know anything certain today. Yes, I have a bit in mind to obtain the coaching title this year and we will see if I can continue playing soccer or, if not, have to stop my activity as a soccer player. Let’s see what happens these weeks.
About returning to Barça one day…How is it?
My feeling will never change that I wish that at some point in my life and my profession that possibility of returning to Barça would happen. Because the context is good, because everything is good for it to happen. But today talking about what or how doesn’t make sense, I would like it, yes, of course. What I want as my goal is to be able to get my coaching title and we will see what happens and what life brings, where we will be. It’s one of my goals.
