Dubai: All-conquering Barcelona’s swashbuckling strikeforce of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar can fire the Spanish giants to historic back-to-back Champions League titles.
That’s the view of their legendary former midfielder, Xavi Hernandez, who was in Dubai to open the new GO Sport store at Mall of the Emirates.
#Xavi in Dubai https://t.co/AJ0WfAFkXA— Euan R (@EuanR1) November 23, 2015
He said: “For me Barca are the best club in the world. There is no change in their mentality. They have everything to continue to win.
“Can they win the Champions League again? Why not? But it’s difficult to win the Champions League, but Barca can.”
Xavi speaking to media at Mall of Emirates' Go Sport store https://t.co/Zc6od9CCHf— Euan R (@EuanR1) November 23, 2015
The 35-year-old, who now plies his trade with Qatari outfit Al Sadd, replied with an emphatic “yes, yes, yes” when asked if Barca’s stellar ‘MSN’ trio were better than the Samuel Eto’o, Ronaldinho and Thierry Henry trident of the last decade.
Messi, Suarez and Neymar plundered a combined 122 goals last season as Barcelona swept to a Champions League, Spanish La Liga and Spanish King’s Cup treble.
https://t.co/fxpBqScWjX— Euan R (@EuanR1) November 23, 2015
He said: “Neymar, Suarez, Messi are the best players in the world now and with [Andres] Iniesta, [Sergio] Busquets and [Ivan] Rakitic also, it’s a fantastic team.”
Can Neymar, the leading Spanish La Liga goalscorer this season with 12 goals, reach the celestial level of Messi and the current Fifa world player of the year Cristiano Ronaldo?
Fans queuing to meet #xavi https://t.co/kygf2k4vci— Euan R (@EuanR1) November 23, 2015
Xavi, who won an incredible 25 major trophies in a glittering 17-year career with his boyhood club between 1998 and last summer, said: “I don’t know if Neymar can be better than Ronaldo. Maybe in the future. But for me the best player in this moment and in history is Messi.
“Neymar is an amazing football player but it’s still early to say [if he can be the best in the world].”
The 2010 World Cup winner, who also enjoyed 2008 and 2012 European Championship glory with Spain, went on to hail Barcelona’s “historic” 4-0 dismantling of fierce rivals Real Madrid on Saturday.
He said: “It was an amazing game for Barca. Barca was much better than Real Madrid in everything – in attack, in defence, in the rhythm and the intensity. It was a historic game for Barcelona.
“I was happy to watch the game and congratulations to all the team and the staff.”
“Did I miss playing in it? Yeah, it’s normal,” Xavi added. “It was historic. I enjoyed it a lot before and I am very happy like all Barca fans.”
Xavi, who said the best three players he had played with were fellow graduates from Barcelona’s esteemed La Masia academy – Messi, Iniesta and Busquets – said he was delighted with the emergence of young Barca midfielder Sergi Roberto.
“I’m very happy for Sergi Roberto,” he said. “He’s a very nice person and good professional, who always works hard. Sergi is a very good player and now playing very well.”
Xavi insisted that Barcelona do not need to reinforce their ranks with a new striker, following the departure of Pedro Rodriguez Chelsea in August, when their Fifa transfer ban is lifted in January.
He said: “No, I don’t think so. [Summer signings] Aleix Vidal and Arda Turan can start to play in January and Barcelona have a very good team.”
Meanwhile, Real Madrid’s president Florentino Perez was on Monday evening due to speak at a press conference as speculation grew over the future of embattled coach Rafa Benitez.
Is criticism of Benitez, who was only appointed in the summer, unfair?
Xavi said: “I don’t know. It’s normal. The score 0-4 means there are problems for Real Madrid, for the coach, for the president and all the players. It’s not a normal scoreline 0-4 and the feelings are bad for Real Madrid.
“But I am a fan of Barca much more than Real.”
