Former Barcelona star Thierry Henry has passionately defended his former teammate and current Barcelona head coach, Xavi, amid renewed criticism directed at the Spanish tactician. This comes in the wake of Barcelona’s recent Champions League clash against Napoli, where despite dominating possession and restricting Napoli to just one shot on target, the Catalans conceded a late equalizer from Victor Osimhen.
Despite Barcelona’s control of the game, large sections of the club’s supporters have taken aim at Xavi for his perceived failure to maintain control of proceedings, particularly leading up to Napoli’s equalizer. However, Henry, who has a deep understanding of Xavi’s coaching style and philosophy, has stepped forward to staunchly defend him against the criticism.
Henry’s defence of Xavi reflects the respect and admiration he holds for his former teammate, drawing on their shared experiences at Barcelona. As a player who has excelled under the guidance of top coaches, including the legendary Pep Guardiola, Henry’s endorsement of Xavi carries significant weight and underscores the belief in Xavi’s managerial capabilities.
In a recent online interview with Barcelona’s manager as part of his punditry duties at CBS Sports, Thierry Henry praised Xavi’s tactical prowess, suggesting that it is only matched by another Barcelona legend, Pep Guardiola.
Hey Xavi, my friend. I don’t care what people say. I’m impressed with your work at Barça. You won the league and you taught me a lot in football. Your brain, for me, is second to none. In terms of how you seen the game, only Pep compares to you.