John Laporta does not hide his devotion to Xavi Hernandezwhom he holds in very high regard to the point that he would like him to reverse his decision to leave the Barça at the end of the season one more year of contract. He expresses this in an exclusive interview with Sports world. For this reason, he will wait until the end of the season to move to look for a replacement in case the one from Terrassa backs out.
And how many times have they said to Xavi since then: ‘think about it, Xavi, don’t rush’?
I will say one thing, we didn’t talk about it. I have already told him that coaches all want to come to Barça, but we are not going, at least I receive proposals from all sides, and I have said it to Xavi: ‘We respect the fact that you are here until the end of the season. It has been your decision. We’re doing well, we’re getting better and better. Look, since you said it, that’s it, you’ve won again and we wink at each other as if to say something could happen here. This goes like this, it goes better and the objectives are achieved.
Would you like Xavi to continue?
Yes, yes, yes, yes, he already knows it, but he notices it. I would like him to continue, but I already told him at the time, when he said about the pressure, that here we are always under pressure with the experience you have. . I asked him if there was any way he could change his mind but I saw him with an insurmountable pressure that was visible on his face, so I told him to relax if he saw it that way. He keeps saying that at the end of the season he would leave as we have agreed, but we’ll see. Let’s not put that pressure on ourselves because at the moment being with this formula works. Therefore, we can still say no, no, no, and…
You don’t rule out asking him, right?
Depending on how the season goes, he already knows. And he has the point that he wants to win to finish this stage with glory or to think about it or continue,
In any case, Xavi has been denied the confidence they are giving to very young players. You have to be brave to put your prestige in the hands of 16 and 17 year olds.
It is one of the positive aspects of Xavi as a coach. He will be remembered for this and hopefully for more things. He has had the courage. Xavi comes from La Masia and always says one thing: ‘La Masia never lets you down. He refers not only to talent, but also to what has to be given in a game. Lamine, Fermín, Cubarsí, Fort, Balde, Gavi, Pedri or Araujo. The other day he made Casadó debut in the League, who had also already had many call-ups. It must be acknowledged to Xavi that nothing is improvised. Xavi told us that he would make Casadó play at the time. He had played in Antwerp. He didn’t go well, but not because the kid didn’t play well because he came out for a while and did very well. And against Atlético he came out for a few minutes and gave the level that was expected of him. Xavi has everything very studied and planned. He comes from personal experience to decide when a player should enter.
It is clear that you would like Xavi to continue but if he keeps his word, what profile of coach does the president of Barça want?
Here we have it very clear. The coach who comes will have to adapt to our structure. This is how Barça has to work. It cannot be that every time a coach comes, the structure changes and that will already be a fundamental premise. Barça is above coaches, players, presidents, directors. I have the honor and responsibility of defending the interests of Barça and it is very important that now that a sports structure has been built that works better and better. It is very difficult to achieve it and it has been done based on the level we have, with worldwide recognition as the best quarry in the world that generates the best players. This has to be consistent because there is a technical secretary, a football director who makes decisions for signings in a very coordinated manner and in full harmony with the coach and the technical staff.
There are a number of analysts, scouts, coaches and professionals who work to make this work and the new coach will be given the manual and will see what we have at Can Barça and what he will have to take advantage of and continue. Beyond the fact that he will have his football ideas, which must fit closely with the football idea that we have, this genuine way of playing that Barça has, which we think is the best to compete and win. Sometimes they say our system is obsolete. I do not share this opinion at all. We cannot compete in running with teams that are more physical than we are with those who run. We compete having the ball and sometimes I see Premier games that are very attractive because it is a give and take and in those broken games we go to play there and we give them a shake. I have it very clear. I watch quite a few Premier League games but with our football system we give them a shake.
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A coach who does know the script perfectly is Luis Enrique.
Luis is a person that I like very much, he has character, personality, he is very good, very his and I like this type of people. But we have not spoken with Luis or anyone because of this respect we have for Xavi. You will tell me, well, but this has to be decided before because all the coaches’ agents tell you this. I say that whoever wants to come to Barça will have to wait until the end because we are not going to touch anything until Xavi makes the decision. If he makes the decision to leave, those who really want to come to Barça will have to wait and will wait. If they don’t wait, nothing happens, we have a solution.
You are good friends with Pini Zahavi and he takes Hansi Flick. Has he told you about him?
What do you think?
Joan Laporta, president of FC Barcelona, posing for Mundo Deportivo
Pere Puntí (MD)
That doesn’t stop. He is free on the market.
Apart from great professionals, I am a friend of Pini and Jorge Mendes. They are the agents I know the most from my past. I have a very good relationship, but you know what I’m saying: ‘Don’t insist on me because we will be with Xavi until the end.’ We will wait for Xavi’s decision and then we will see. They don’t wait, so don’t wait. We have to continue our path and be consistent with this formula that we have adopted, which for the moment is working and I do not think it is due to luck but to the experience that Xavi has in these matters, who saw that this formula could be useful and then to the maturation process of this team. We continue with injuries. The other day four starters did not play: Frenkie, Pedri, Cancelo and Balde. And he has been replaced with players like Sergi Roberto, who has touch, Gündogan is sensational, Fermín is splendid with arrival and goal. Robert is a professional and he always gives us. He was the first one who was anguished about not being like the other season but he has made an important effort. He is a man who takes great care of his physique and now scores or gives an assist in every game. I am no longer talking about the defense, with a package now with Cubarsí, Araujo, Christensen as a pivot, Hèctor Fort at 17 years old who tell me that it is already done.
For the president of Barça, seeing a player like Cubarsí excites him?
Yes man, I love seeing Pau and his father and his uncle how they follow the player. And how direct, how clear and authentic they are. And the player himself has a personality… Even now, at 16 years old when you hear about him in recent interviews, he has a personality and a maturity… Xavi and Deco are also very surprised with this. Xavi told me: ‘When I debuted, I was nervous… And you see these, this generation, in this sense they have overcome this. They express their talent naturally and without being nervous, or maybe they carry it inside, but Xavi is the first to say: ‘I don’t notice that they are nervous.’ That’s admirable.
2024-03-22 09:37:19
#Laporta #Xavi #continue
