Xavi Hernández: «It’s not the right time to talk about Messi’s return, neither for his sake nor for the club’s».
FC Barcelona coach Xavi Hernández reiterated this Friday that «it is not the time to talk about Leo Messi’s return» to the club, «neither for his sake nor for the club’s,» when they are «one step away from winning two titles» -Liga and Copa-, while acknowledging that it would be «extraordinary to win» in the «‘post Messi era’, which generated so much fear» at Barça. «It’s not the time to talk about Leo’s (Messi) return, I have a friendship with him, but it’s not the time. Neither for Leo’s sake, nor for the club or the squad. I have a lot of contact with him, but there is a world between now and then. But it’s his home, and I would be the first to be happy for his return. We are a month away from winning two titles, it is not the time to talk about signings,» insisted the coach at the press conference prior to this Saturday’s La Liga clash (21.00) against Elche.
«I would be the first to welcome his return.»
«It’s not the time to talk about Leo’s (Messi) return, I have a friendship with him, but it’s not the time. Neither for Leo’s sake, nor for the sake of the club or the squad. I have a lot of contact with him, but there is a world between now and then. But it’s his home, and I would be the first to be happy for his return. We are a month away from winning two titles, it is not the time to talk about signings,» insisted the coach at the press conference prior to this Saturday’s La Liga clash (21.00) against Elche.
«If Messi wants to come back and is willing to do so, we will have to talk about his possible return.
Xavi Hernández indicated that he has not spoken «with the board» about the planning for next season, although if Messi «wants to return and has that will, we will have to talk» about his possible return. «It doesn’t depend on me, it depends on his happiness. If he makes the decision to return, we will listen to him. I’ll be the first to join in to bring him back to Barça,» he admitted.
«A lot of circumstances have to come together.»
«Let’s listen to fate, there’s nothing yet, we’ll see Leo’s will and then we’ll see. We are doing a disservice to Leo, to the club and to the circumstances we have. It would be extraordinary to win titles in the ‘post-Messi era’, which we were so afraid of,» he stressed, before recalling that his «‘last dance'» at Barcelona «will depend on many factors.» «A lot of circumstances have to come together,» he added.
«People are happy, it makes me proud.»
The coach, «in love» with Messi, sees it as «normal» that his hypothetical return generates «excitement» in Barcelona fans. «The important thing is that the culé is excited. The best thermometer is the Camp Nou, that does not fail, the field is full, people are happy, it makes me proud,» he added.
15 points behind Real Madrid if they win
«We are focused on winning titles. We are just one step away and you ask me about transfers, you are specialists in changing the subject. The important thing is that tomorrow we can be 15 points behind Real Madrid and we can go on to the Cup final, I don’t understand why you don’t talk about this, sometimes I don’t understand you. All year long, you’ve been banging on about how we’re not going to win titles and now that we’re just one step away from winning them, we’re talking about signings, and you’re surprised,» Xavi criticized the media on the subject of Messi.
«I have spoken to Ansu Fati, he is calm and focused.»
The azulgrana coach also valued the statements of Bori Fati, Ansu’s father, assuring that his son «deserves many more minutes» and slipping a possible departure in the summer. «I have spoken with Ansu, he is calm and focused. I am concerned and concerned about the player, not his father, not his agent. He is well, he is training well, I do not give too much importance to the statements of his father, I understand him, I have lived similar situations,» he said. «He is suffering for his son, but we should not give him importance. The important thing is that Ansu is focused, he is mature and knows what he is doing. I’m the first one who wants him to succeed at Barça, we have to take the heat off the matter, I have a good feeling about him. We can all make mistakes, but you ask for forgiveness, you reason. Ansu has trained very well and will be important in the remaining matches. As for next year, we haven’t planned anything,» he commented on the striker.
