Xavi Insists on Barca Reform, Gets Messi’s Support

Newly appointed manager of Barcelona, Xavi Hernandez has said that his team ‘can’t accept’ draws or defeats, as he gave his first interview since replacing Ronald Koeman as the Catalan club’s new helmsman.

Moments after the former club’s great accepted the job, his former team mate, Lionel Messi, was one of first to wish him the best in the sojourn. The captain of the team till 2015, is burdened with the task to pull the Barcelona train back on track.

The new boss said that he received a ‘good luck’ text from Messi but does not regret missing out the chance to coach the six-time Ballon d’or winner.

“Messi, Samuel Eto’o and Ronaldinho would have been good to handle but they are not here and I have to make good out of where they left. Messi is a great friend and we cherish the relationship,” he explained.

Koeman was given his marching orders last month following a poor run of results. Since then, former Barça left-back and Sergi Barjuan has been in temporary charge of first-team matters while a deal for Xavi was hammered out.

Despite some delays due to a disagreement with the Spaniard’s former club Al Sadd over his release clause, an agreement was finally reached a few days ago, and Xavi, having arrived in Catalonia from Qatar over the weekend, was presented as the new coach on Monday afternoon.

He joins with Barça in disarray on and off the field. Financial problems are twinned with dramatic underperformance from a playing squad beset by an injury crisis, but Xavi struck an ambitious tone when addressing the media.

“This is the biggest club in the world and I’m going to work hard to reach your expectations. Barcelona can’t accept a draw or a defeat. We have to win all the games,” he said.

“I come prepared. My DNA didn’t change. We need to take charge, have the ball, create opportunities, be intense. We have a mission to rescue many things that were lost.”

One of the ways that Xavi plans to turn the club’s fortunes around is by demanding high standards in the dressing room.

“We have to start with new rules that are going to be strict. It’s not a matter of being tough, it’s about having norms,” he said.

“When we had norms in the locker room things were good, when we didn’t, it went bad. So, we need to have order. Being professionals.”

“It’s a medium to long-term project but we’ll need to work really hard to find the results. The expectation and the demand will be the highest. No excuses will be made or accepted.”