The Guardiola comparisons weigh me down – Barcelona’s Xavi

Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez has said that comparisons to his former teammate and coach Pep Guardiola are not helping his own managerial career.

Xavi has led Barca to their first LaLiga title since 2019 in his first full season as coach at the Spotify Camp Nou, but has at times had to fend off criticism of the way his side have played.

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Barca have won 1-0 in LaLiga this season 11 times, while keeping a league record of 26 draws, but the attacking demand is more exciting now that Manchester City manager Guardiola has set the bar. as a coach in 2008-2012.

“Guardiola’s character weighs on me as a coach,” Xavi told Catalan media TV3.

“I don’t think it’s fair [to constantly make the comparison]. That happened to me too when I was a player. Everyone needs to turn the page.”

Although Xavi said he does not feel there has been universal support for what he has achieved at the club, he feels valued internally and a new contract until 2026 is expected to be agreed soon.

“Yes,” he said when asked if the renewal talks were going well. – We will come to an agreement sooner or later.

“I know the club will do their best and there will be no problems. I will end up renewing myself and hopefully I can continue here for many years.”

Xavi, who cut his teeth at Al-Sadd in Qatar as a coach before returning to Barca in 2021, has also been forced to preside over a generational change at Camp Nou that has tested his friendships with former team-mates.

He has seen defender Gerard Pique retire after taking charge, while both Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets will leave the club this summer, although neither has announced their next destination.

“When you have to make decisions that the players don’t want, it becomes difficult,” Xavi said. “I had to tell Pique to step aside, to play less. I even had trouble sleeping because we had enjoyed so much together.

“With Jord, you feel like you’re letting him down as a friend, but you have to put the team first. It happened to me with Luis Enrique, you don’t understand it, because after so many regular years, you feel like you should be playing.

“Jordi was angry, which is understandable. But then there was a group discussion and he told us he was 100% committed. And he was, just like Pique was. They chose the right moment to leave.”

After mastering those situations and winning LaLiga and the Spanish Super Cup this season, Xavi, who this week spoke of his desire to re-sign Lionel Messi, will now have to take steps forward in the Champions League after back-to-back group stages.

“The feeling of not being able to compete in Europe has been very difficult to deal with, it’s one of the worst feelings I’ve had as a coach,” Xavi said.

“That’s the unfinished business of this team. We have to compete and try to win everything. We have to strengthen well this summer to do better in the Champions League.”