Xavi has admitted he feels “so sad” for his former Barcelona team-mate Lionel Messi, who has left Barcelona despite his desire to stay with the club.
Messi’s move to Paris Saint-Germain was confirmed on Tuesday, just days after an emotional press conference during which he bade farewell to Barca after 21 years.
The 34-year-old said he and Barca did everything they could to sign a new contract, but the deal was made impossible by what the club called “financial and structural obstacles.”
“I’m just so sad for Leo. It’s a pity to see he and the club couldn’t find a solution. I know that Leo wanted to stay, but in the end it could not be sorted.
“The only thing I can say now is that I will miss him a lot. It’s even hard for me to picture Messi with a shirt other than Barca’s. It’s sad for Leo, especially for how I saw him emotionally at the Camp Nou the other day, but for FC Barcelona as well,” Xavi said in an interview with The Times.
During Xavi and Messi’s time as team-mates, Barcelona won seven LaLiga titles and four Champions Leagues, before Xavi departed after the 2014/2015 season.