Xavi has had a pretty good run as the manager of Barcelona till now, guiding them back to the top of La Liga last season. It remains to be seen if his team can maintain that this time around. As things stand, they sit in second place in the league table, a point behind Real Madrid. It is a marathon and not a race though.
It is worth pointing out that Real Madrid had made a glorious start last season as well. But as the season progressed, injuries and fatigue started to catch up with them. By the end of the season, they had not even put up a challenge as Barcelona clinched the league title. Carlo Ancelotti’s side did win the Copa del Rey and make a much deeper run in the Champions League.
Real Madrid’s team is pretty different this time around. They have lost key players like Karim Benzema and Marco Asensio. On the other hand, Jude Bellingham and Joselu are proving to be great signings for the club.
It will be interesting to see how the season turns out. It once again looks like a race between Real Madrid and Barcelona for the league title. Xavi must have been pleased to see Benzema depart though.
Xavi praises Real Madrid heroes and Manchester United player
As reported by Mundo Deportivo, when asked about the most difficult player to stop during his time as Barcelona’s manager, Xavi said:
"“Rashford cost us a lot. Also Vinicius, Benzema…”"
Of course, Barcelona came up against Manchester United in the Europa League last season in a high-profile tie. The Red Devils came out on top over the two legs, with Marcus Rashford showing his quality against Xavi’s team.
On the other hand, Vinicius Jr and Benzema have both proven to be decisive against Barcelona over the years. The Frenchman actually scored a hattrick in his last El Clasico.