Xavi Hernandez continues to receive compliments for the great job he is currently doing as FC Barcelona first team coach.
Already leading the Blaugrana from ninth-place in La Liga to second if they can beat Sevilla at Camp Nou after the international break, just how far a falling giant has come on his watch was driven home by a sensational 4-0 away win over bitter rivals Real Madrid in El Clasico on Sunday.
The tactical masterclass caught the football world’s attention, and has seen Xavi earn plaudits from several respected figures in the game for the way he managed to outwit three-time Champions League winner Carlo Ancelotti on his own patch.
Now joining the chorus of approval is Ronaldo Nazario, who after completing just a single season for the Catalans in the mid-to-late 90s then went on to become a legend at Real Madrid after a pit stop at Inter Milan.
Speaking to Barca TV, the Brazilian two-time World Cup winner noted the improvements that have been made since Ronald Koeman was ousted, and the revolution overseen by his replacement.
“I follow Spanish football and I love it,” Ronaldo said. “With the crisis that Barca has had very recently, they have improved a lot with the arrival of Xavi.
“Now I have seen a great team live, a very aggressive and vertical team, which presses with the traditional qualities of Barca. This Barca looks very good”, Ronaldo added, while also saying he thought they were “amazing” in El Clasico.
“Football is not as simple as people think,” he went on. “Managing a dressing room, managing people, it entails problems and you have to know how to manage it well. Xavi is doing very well,” stated the current majority shareholder of Real Valladolid.
Ronaldo also had kind words to say about Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who was outstanding on Sunday in bagging a brace and has been a revelation since signing for the Catalans as a free agent from Arsenal on deadline day in the recent January transfer window.
“I love how he moves, how he finishes. He has the characteristics of a traditional center-forward, but he also has the speed to go into space. He is a great striker and a great signing for Barca,” Ronaldo beamed.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/tomsanderson/2022/03/22/ronaldo-xavis-fc-barcelona-looks-very-good/