Xavi breaks the record for most appearances for Barcelona
Midfielder Xavi Hernandez has secured his place in Barcelona folklore after making his 549th appearance for the club on Sunday. Xavi made his record breaking appearance against Levante at the Nou Camp, a match which Barcelona won 2-1. The midfielder
now becomes the joint all-time record appearance holder, an honour he currently shares with Catalan legend Migueli.
Speaking to the press after the match against Levante, Xavi said, “It's an honour and I would like to thank everyone for the support I have always received. I hope to go on for many years and, if possible, carry on winning titles with Barca.”
The influential midfielder has recently committed his future to Barcelona, signing a contract that will keep him at the Nou Camp until the age of thirty-six. Pep Guardiola could hardly contain his praise for the player. The Barca manager said, “This game
belongs to Xavi. I reached 300 matches and that seemed an outrage. Migueli played 549 and retired at 38. But Xavi is 30 years of age and has played 549 games...Xavi will surpass Migueli, I would not be surprised if he managed to reach 700 games.”
Xavi Hernandez has been with Barcelona since the age of 11. His attitude and skill made him stand out, and he rapidly made his way up the ranks. He made his debut for the first team in August 1998, quickly establishing himself as a mainstay in the Barcelona
starting eleven. Twelve years on, Xavi is still an integral part of the team. The player has become something of an icon at the Nou Camp. He has already stated that he would like to end his career with Barcelona, something that many of the biggest clubs in
Europe would be heartbroken to hear.
The midfielder is widely considered to be one of the finest play-makers in the world today, a fact which is proven by his nomination for the Golden Ball award. He has been short-listed for the prestigious trophy along with his Barcelona teammates Messi and
Iniesta. However, Xavi says he doesn’t care about winning the award. A Barcelona man through and through, the Spanish international says that it doesn’t matter who wins the prize, because ultimately, it’s yet another victory for the club.
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