Before Barcelona’s 3-2 victory against Paris Saint-Germain away in the first quarter-final meeting in the Champions League, the match was painted as a duel between Xavi and Luis Enrique. Xavi had Luis Enrique as a coach, while they were also teammates at Barcelona, and now they are opponents on the substitutes’ benches.
Ahead of the match, the coaches met in the players’ tunnel, where Luis Enrique delivered a few playful airstrikes in the direction of Xavi, before hugging and talking.
Now the Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo, and several other Spanish media, are reporting on what was actually said between the coaches.
– How aggressive, how aggressive, Xavi said of Luis Enrique’s aerial strike according to the newspaper.
– We won’t see each other in the final, don’t protest (against the referees), I’ll shit on you, Luis Enrique later jokingly replied, among other things, according to the newspaper.
Luis Enrique does not want to say much afterwards about what the coaches said to each other in connection with the match.
– He was one of my teammates and one of my players. We are of course trying to defend our colors now, and I congratulated him, but I also said that we are going to war, he tells TV4 Play.
Before the match, Luis Enrique received a question during his press conference about which of the coaches represents Barcelona’s DNA best – and was then clear that it is him and not Xavi.
– Without a doubt me. It’s not just my opinion. Check the statistics. Check ball possession, scoring chances and maintaining high pressure. Check the number of titles and trophies. It is undoubtedly me, he said before the match.
Xavi in turn then replied that he has great respect for Luis Enrique, and sees the coach as one of the best in the world.
TV4 Play expert Vicki Blommé thinks that Luis Enrique was unsympathetic before the match.
– Luis Enrique went to great lengths and said clearly that he is the one who does it (mostly represents Barcelona’s DNA). It was almost a little unsympathetic, although I think he’s right. Thus it became important for Xavi to respond with a performance, he let the game speak, she says in the broadcast.
The return will be played next week in Catalonia.
