06.01.2011 14:26

“The Ballon D’Or will be a Barça party”

Vanessa Forns

Xavi, Iniesta or Messi. Any of the trio could be named the player of the year, but what matters to Xavi is that whoever wins, it’ll be a Barcelona player, and one that grew up threw the club ranks.

All will be revealed in Zurich on Monday, and asked how he feels, Xavi said “Just that the three players are former youth players at Barça is a cause for pride. It will be a Barça party.” He would of course be honoured to win “the biggest individual prize. It especially excites me, it would make me proud” but also added that he isn’t losing any sleep over the matter”.

Barça is everything

Against Athletic Bilbao, he made hiss 550th appearance, a new record for the club. Xavi considers it “a privilege. I am very proud to have been able to defend the Barça colours, it means everything to me. I feel privileged, and to have won titles, which what this club aims to do. Defending these colours is the best, it is an honour to be here”.

Fons memories

If he had to pick out a special game from the many he has played, he said “after 13 years here it’s not easy to choose just one. Perhaps then 6-2 at the Bernabéu, or the recent 5-0, for the way we played, but also the Champions League final in Rome, in the end it’s the games where you win titles”.

Keenness the key

He said he would love to retire at Barça and doesn’t envisage himself ever playing for another team. He put his success here down to keenness to do well, but also felt the coaches’ trust has mattered, and also the way he has been reasonably lucky with injuries. “If I could, I’d play football all my life, but it depends on the circumstances. I can carry on for some time. But I just want to enjoy the moment. I don’t make targets for myself”.

The game at San Mamés

On the game in Bilbao, at which Abidal played a “spectacular” match, Xavi admitted that “it was not one of those excellent games that you expect from Barça”. But the players were just happy to qualify the quarter finals. “Every game is different and you have to swallow up the minutes. It was hard to get forward yesterday, but we didn’t have too many problems either. We dominated the play and did have chances to go ahead in the game”.

Importance of the cup

After explaining that his no longer feeling any tendon pain, Xavi explained that the Copa del Rey is a tournament that particularly awakens their interest. “We had a really nice final two years ago, and we’d like to get there again. We consider the cup to be an important competition”.