BARCELONA // Midfielder Xavi raised the Copa del Rey aloft alongside Andres Iniesta in his final appearance at the Camp Nou on Saturday and now victory in the Uefa Champions League would make it a perfect send-off for the club legend.
Xavi became the first Spanish player to win 24 trophies following the 3-1 win over Athletic Bilbao and can still add to that with a victory over Juventus on June 6.
The home-grown talent may have only been a fringe player this season but his trophy haul over 17 years shows his importance to the Catalan club that he will leave at the end of this campaign.
Read more:
– Lionel Messi is ‘brutal, simply spectacular’ as Barcelona hoist Copa del Rey trophy
– Never losing his head: Barcelona’s Luis Enrique is one of the best coaches in football
With the Primera Liga trophy also in the bag, victory in the Champions League final would see Barca equal their treble success of 2009.
“We are now in a position where we can start to make comparisons although there is a long way to go and next Saturday we will see what happens,” Xavi told reporters.
“We could equal the historic treble but who knows? I think the coach (Luis Enrique) has rotated the squad well and so we are all fresh which is important.
“We need to be cautious because Juventus also are a great side that have a lot of confidence. They also have a double and we will see how it works out but we want to make history.”
Xavi made his debut for Barca under former coach Louis van Gaal and soon became an integral part of the team but it was during a golden spell from 2008 to 2012 under Pep Guardiola, whom he replaced on the pitch as a midfield architect, that he really shone.
“The importance of Xavi in the history of Barca is clear for everyone to see,” Luis Enrique told a news conference.
“He has played the most official games and won the most trophies in the history of Barca. He still needs to win the Champions League again and then can retire on the big stage as I think he is doing.”
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The specs
RESULTS
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
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Company%20profile
Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
U19 WORLD CUP, WEST INDIES
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Wicked
Disclaimer
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
Rating: 4/5
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PAKISTAN SQUAD
Pakistan - Sarfraz Ahmed (captain), Azhar Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Hafeez, Haris Sohail, Faheem Ashraf, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Amir, Hasan Ali, Aamer Yamin, Rumman Raees.
'Top Gun: Maverick'
Rating: 4/5
Directed by: Joseph Kosinski
Starring: Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Miles Teller, Glen Powell, Ed Harris
The specs
Engine: 8.0-litre, quad-turbo 16-cylinder
Transmission: 7-speed auto
0-100kmh 2.3 seconds
0-200kmh 5.5 seconds
0-300kmh 11.6 seconds
Power: 1500hp
Torque: 1600Nm
Price: Dh13,400,000
On sale: now
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RESULTS
1.45pm: Maiden Dh75,000 1,200m
Winner: Lady Parma, Richard Mullen (jockey), Satish Seemar (trainer).
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Winner: Tabernas, Connor Beasley, Ahmed bin Harmash.
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3.15pm: Handicap Dh120,000 1,400m
Winner: Mystique Moon, Sam Hitchcott, Doug Watson.
3.45pm: Handicap Dh80,000 1,400m
Winner: Mutawakked, Szczepan Mazur, Musabah Al Muhairi.
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Winner: Tafaakhor, Sandro Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
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Programmes: Judo, wrestling, kick-boxing, muay thai, taekwondo and various summer camps
Location: Inside Abu Dhabi City Golf Club, Al Mushrif, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Telephone: 971 50 220 0326
The specs: 2018 Audi R8 V10 RWS
Price: base / as tested: From Dh632,225
Engine: 5.2-litre V10
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 540hp @ 8,250rpm
Torque: 540Nm @ 6,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.4L / 100km
Results
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The specs
PRIMERA LIGA FIXTURES
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Saturday
Atletico Madrid v Sevilla (3pm)
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Malaga v Athletic Bilbao (8.30pm)
Girona v Barcelona (10.45pm)
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Eibar v Celta Vigo (8.30pm)
Las Palmas v Leganes (8.30pm)
Real Sociedad v Valencia (10.45pm)
Monday
Real Betis v Levante (11.pm)
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Business Insights
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If you go
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
The specs: 2018 Ducati SuperSport S
Price, base / as tested: Dh74,900 / Dh85,900
Engine: 937cc
Transmission: Six-speed gearbox
Power: 110hp @ 9,000rpm
Torque: 93Nm @ 6,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 5.9L / 100km