“It Has Not Been Easy Since Lionel Messi Left” – Xavi

Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez has confessed that the Catalan club has struggled following Lionel Messi’s exit from his team.

This was revealed during Xavi’s pre-match news conference before Barcelona’s LaLiga match against Rayo Vallecano on Sunday.

Lionel Messi, who played under Xavi at Barcelona, left for Paris Saint-Germain last summer after his contract with the LaLiga giants was not renewed.

When asked what it’s like to coach Barcelona in these circumstances, Xavi admitted that it’s difficult without the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner in his side.

He said, “We are in the post-Messi era, we need to have a lot of patience. I was the first to aspire to win all the trophies, but we have to reinforce for next season.

“We have to be realistic, calm and patient. Without Messi, it is a lot more difficult. The attitude of the team has been laudable, that is true.

“There are all kinds of moments. There have been moments of sci-fi, like that 4-0 [against Real Madrid] at the Bernabeu, but also moments of horror, like the COVID-19 situation or when we were ninth in La Liga. That is our reality and we’ve to face it.”