"Still number one in terms of talent" - Barcelona legend heaps praise on Lionel Messi
Barcelona legend Xavi showered praise on his former teammate Lionel Messi in a recent interview, claiming he still loves watching him play. Messi shared the pitch with Xavi at Barca in 399 games between 2004 and 2015, recording 42 joint-goal participations.
Lionel Messi is widely considered the greatest Blaugrana legend of all time after spending 17 years with the Catalan side. Messi joined Barca after rising through the ranks of their academy, La Masia, and went on to win a club record 35 titles with them. He contributed 672 goals and 303 assists in 778 outings for Barcelona across competitions.
In an interview with FIFA after the recent Club World Cup draw, former Barca coach and player Xavi heaped praise on Lionel Messi and hailed him as the best even today. He said (via Barca Universal):
“Who is the player I enjoy watching the most? It is still Leo. Leo Messi. I enjoy watching Barcelona win; I enjoy many footballers in the world. But for me, Messi is still number one in terms of talent."
Barcelona have not qualified to participate in the FIFA Club World Cup this season. However, Lionel Messi's Inter Miami are set to take part in the tournament as the host nation. The MLS side were drawn in the same group alongside Palmeiras, Porto and Al-Ahly.
"You can never settle for being second" - When Lionel Messi spoke about what fans expect from Barcelona
In an interview with Mundo Deportivo this month, Lionel Messi shared his thoughts on the high expectations fans have for Barcelona. He said (via GOAL):
“As a Barça player, you can never settle for being second or not winning, because the members and the fans demand the most from you. Being the best club in the world entails very high demands. I would love to see Barca win La Liga, the Cup, and also the Champions League again. And in the years that it can't, at least compete until the last moment.”
Messi wanted his boyhood side to return to winning ways, adding:
“I hope that the club can return to what it always was. As well as being a world reference, which it never stopped being, always fighting to win titles until the end of each season."
Lionel Messi was forced to leave Barcelona in 2021 after the club was unable to renew his contract owing to LaLiga's Financial Fair Play regulations. The legendary forward joined Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) as a free agent before moving to Inter Miami in 2023.
On the occasion of Barca's 125th anniversary last month, Messi shared a message for the club via their official social media handle. The Blaugrana legend also took to Instagram to share some memorable images from his successful stint at the club.