"A match between two teams that have managers with the same ideas" - Barcelona manager Xavi makes interesting claim after 3-3 Manchester City draw
As per Barca Universal, Barcelona manager Xavi has made an interesting claim following the La Liga side's mid-season friendly against Manchester City on Wednesday, August 24.
The two European giants featured in a charity match to support research into ALS. Former Barca player and coach Juan Carlos Unzue suffers from this condition.
Pep Guardiola and Xavi were so happy to see each other 🥺 https://t.co/M4I3LNMFLi
Neither side were able to secure a victory as the friendly ended in a 3-3 draw. The electrifying encounter seemed to be leaning towards a Barcelona win, as Memphis Depay scored in the 79th minute, resulting in a 3-2 scoreline.
However, City were awarded a penalty by the referee in stoppage time, which Riyad Mahrez capitalized on.
Following the match, Xavi spoke about the encounter with City manager Pep Guardiola, who coached the former Barcelona midfielder during his stint with the Catalan giants.
The Blaugrana coach claimed that the duo have similar ideas, having worked together for a substantial period of time.
According to Barca Universal, Xavi said:
“This was a match between two teams that have managers with the same ideas. I know Pep, I’ve worked with him, I know his level of demand and I’m not surprised."
“Man City played quite well for me. They stole the ball from us many times. They have set patterns and automatisms that we need to pick up. We suffered in some phases of the match.”
Barcelona's next La Liga fixture will see them face Real Valladolid at Camp Nou on Sunday, August 28. Meanwhile, City have an upcoming Premier League fixture against Crystal Palace at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, August 27.
Xavi comments on City winger amid Barcelona interest
Xavi shared his thoughts on City winger Bernardo Silva following their mid-season charity match, as reported by the Spanish outlet.
The Portugal international has been heavily linked with a move to the Catalan giants this summer, as per multiple Fan Nation. The Portuguese is one of the three targets that the Catalan giants are pursuing at the moment. The other two are Chelsea left-back Marcos Alonso and Villareal defender Juan Foyth.
CHAMPIONS 🏆
@ManCity 💙 https://t.co/M2noxAl8Hm
When asked about the 28-year-old midfielder, Xavi said:
“Who doesn’t like Bernardo Silva? But also De Bruyne, Haaland… They have a great team. There are no news regarding Silva. He’s an important player for Pep and City. But yes, I love him as a player.”
"He understands everything and has an amazing ability to make decisions. He’s a very important player for Pep and he makes a difference on the pitch,”
Silva joined the Cityzens in 2017 on a permanent transfer from AS Monaco. The Portuguese midfielder has bagged 49 goals and 51 assists in 254 appearances across all competitions for the club.