Xavi kicks off at the board: Barça have fallen asleep
"They've signed players that don't fit the system," he complained
"The club must take care of the players, they have to be happy, like they were under Laporta"
Former Barcelona captain Xavi Hernandez has strongly criticised the club's board in an interview with Marca, accusing them of "falling asleep".
"They play really good football but they could have signed better," he said. "They’ve fallen a sleep because five or six years ago they had the best players in the world for Barca’s system. Today, for that system they have five or six players: Iniesta, Alba, Messi, Pique, Luis Suarez, Busquets. But Barça should have 11 for that system."
"Before, you wouldn't see anyone and say: 'He’d be good at Barca.' That’s because they were already there. They have signed players that don’t fit that system."
ACADEMY PROBLEMS
Xavi also believes the club are at risk of abandoning the academy: "It has to be strengthened. If there are doubts, look at what you have in-house. In Barça’s best era, at least 60 percent of the players came from the academy. Thiago left within his rights because he wasn’t given opportunities, but everyone has to have patience. It’s the most difficult club in the world."
In comparison to Real Madrid, he continued: "In Madrid, there are no whys. They win and there are no debates.
"Normally [Barça] are superior to their opposition, except in the Super Cup. It’s been a few years since I’ve seen them like that against Real Madrid, because even last season they were better at the Bernabeu and at Camp Nou they were the dominant team."
As for Barça's current situation, he called for patience: "In the year of our treble, Madrid won I don’t know how many games in a row. In January, they seemed invincible, but they lose in Valencia and then at home and we ended up winning three titles. The club must take care of the players, they have to be happy, like they were under Laporta, given how difficult it is to be a Barça player. They need signings."
