Xavi says coaching Barca remains his ‘primary goal’

“I do not hide, and I have always said, that my primary goal, when it happens, is Barca. It’s my home and would be a dream,” said Xavi.

“But now I am focused on Al-Sadd, excited about the new season. When Barca comes, in the short or long term, it will come,” he said, adding that he did not want to destabilise the current coach, Quique Setien.

“Above all, we have to respect Quique Setien and I wish the team all the best,” said Xavi. “Sometimes Barca plays very well, sometimes well, and sometimes not so well. But I like Setien’s idea, now and with his previous teams: to dominate and to make a beautiful game.”

Xavi’s name has come up repeatedly as a replacement for Setien, but club president Josep Maria Bartomeu insists he is sticking with his current coach.

“I have an excellent relationship with Xavi and we talked about many issues. But next year Quique Setien has a contract and he is the one we hired,” Bartomeu said.