“It’s not only Barcelona. Clickbait sensationalism is not for us, but editorial independence is — we owe it to you.Get your daily dose of Sportstar with handpicked stories delivered right to your inbox!Get your daily dose of Sportstar with handpicked stories delivered right to your inbox!To continue enjoying Sportstar, you can turn off your adblocker or subscribe to Sportstar Plus. There were 10 minutes left in the 2011 European Cup final when Wayne Rooney approached Xavi Hernández and, the way the Catalan recalls it, said something like: “That’s enough, you’ve won. It’s the highest praise.
What matters is what we lived together.”That final especially was the ultimate expression of what Barcelona were and what they are supposed to be. It resulted in huge success for the Blaugrana, who won the Champions League four times in nine years while also dominating domestically. The greatest bargain in Football history. All rights reserved. But, barring the occasional painful defeat, which happens to every team, this generation is beyond reproach. Xavi was associated with Barcelona for more than two decades, starting with their youth team. “I never expected this to happen,” he says. He formed a formidable midfield pair with Andres Iniesta for both Barcelona and for Spain.
If, by his own admission, Busquets’ approach remains much the same – he smiles at the suggestion that his style sometimes induces heart attacks, insisting “you have to take risks” – the game has shifted, speeded up, and there are different men around him. Instead, TQ would do. "Iniesta left Barcelona, the only club he had ever played for, in 2018 after making more than 650 appearances for the club.The 35-year-old is still playing for Vissel Kobe in the J-League but he reiterated that one day he wants to return to Camp Nou in some capacity. Their composure on the ball and understanding of each others game is something that is unlikely to be seen again in football. They don’t mind letting you have the ball. “I think the best era was with Pep. “No one seems to remember that not so long ago Barcelona had won only one European Cup [in 1992].
The eight players with the most passes were all Barcelona’s, collectively completing almost 700. Within a year he had won the Of course I miss them; everyone misses them. It’s the most prestigious trophy there is, especially how we were eliminated last season“It’s difficult to say because teams are better prepared at all levels – physical, tactical, mental – and players are different now,” Busquets says. At “Of course I miss them; everyone misses them,” he says. It’s true that we’ve found it hard away; we’ve not been solid enough away and against the best teams that makes it hard.
Thank you La Masia ♥️ #Ng11 Alongside Busquets, only Sergio Ramos is left in the Spain team from 2010. Busquets attempted 82 passes against United during the final, misplacing only five; Leo Messi 100, Andrés Iniesta 115, Xavi 148. Andres Iniesta accepts Barcelona will be unable to reproduce his golden generation, yet he does not see why future teams cannot replicate their success.Midfielder Iniesta was one of a host of world-class stars who came through the famed La Masia academy in quick succession, with Lionel Messi, Xavi, Carles Puyol, Gerard Pique and Sergio Busquets also making the grade.It resulted in huge success for the Blaugrana, who won the Champions League four times in nine years while also dominating domestically.Though it was top of La Liga when the current season was halted due to the coronavirus pandemic, those who have followed Iniesta et al from the academy have been unable to match their brilliance.While acknowledging the club will never again have a cluster of graduates as talented as the group he came through with, Iniesta still believes Barcelona can continue to win titles. Barcelona have not won it since 2015. We know how high the demands are and try to be at that level. Messi+Xavi+Iniesta+Busquets=£0.
"Right now, I'm trying to extend my playing career as much as possible, I want to kick a ball for as long as I can because that's what makes me happy," he added. And when it comes to the European Cup it has been too long. They’re unique, once-in-a-lifetime players and I spent years with them, sharing everything“I feel proud of everything I’ve been through,” he says.