Santi Cazorla: “It’s Sad to See Xavi Suffer in His Own Home

The fate of Barcelona’s season hangs in the balance this Sunday in a crucial clash against Real Madrid, where only a victory will keep their hopes of retaining the league title alive. The Blaugrana enter the match bruised from their controversial Champions League exit at the hands of PSG, aided by contentious refereeing decisions from István Kovács.

Once again, Xavi Hernández finds himself under the spotlight. His return to the club to lead the Blaugrana’s rebuild from the dugout hasn’t gone as expected, prompting the Terrassa-native coach to announce his departure at the end of the season. The treatment Xavi has received surprises those outside of Catalonia, especially after leading Barcelona to the league title last season, ending a four-year drought. Santi Cazorla, who played under Xavi at Al Sadd in Qatar, shares his perspective in an interview with ‘The Guardian.’

Xavi recruited the Asturian midfielder for his Qatari project in the summer of 2020. Having been teammates in the Spanish national team, Xavi believed Cazorla’s profile was perfect to lead the team. However, their partnership only lasted a season and a half. When Barcelona came calling, Cazorla, the player with the most appearances for the club, couldn’t turn down his beloved team.

“It’s like my case with Oviedo,” explains Cazorla, who has returned to his hometown to help the club return to the top flight of Spanish football. He recounts Xavi’s excitement upon receiving Barcelona’s call: “He apologized for leaving me alone in Qatar. ‘Santi, it’s my dream, very personal,’ he said, but then it wasn’t the same.”

Cazorla laments the treatment Xavi is receiving from the Blaugrana environment: “It’s sad to see him suffer in his own home. He’s undervalued. He arrived in one of Barcelona’s toughest moments, won the league and the Super Cup, but it’s never enough.”

The Asturian is also surprised by Xavi’s touchline demeanor, which has resulted in several dismissals: “Someone has replaced the guy I knew with another. As a player, he never raised his voice, and now… On the first day, we were losing, and I saw him throw boots, insult, scream… I asked him, ‘Xavi, what happened to you today?’ and he replied, ‘I’ve completely changed. If you don’t, the locker room won’t respect you.’ I thought, ‘Do you really have to?’ I didn’t see that in myself, but then I didn’t see it in him either. Xavi surprised me.”