Luis Enrique urges Xavi to stay at Barcelona, and Xavi responds | OneFootball

Barcelona head coach Xavi tonight responded to calls on the part of Paris Saint-Germain counterpart Luis Enrique for him to stay put on the club’s bench beyond the end of the season.

As much, of course, comes fresh off the two managers locking horns on the continent a short time ago.

In the 2nd leg of the Champions League quarter-final tie between the clubs, Barcelona, in possession of a 3-2 advantage, welcomed PSG to Catalunya’s capital.

When all was said and done, however, the Blaugrana, on a chaotic night, failed to maintain their aggregate lead.

In fact, after Ronald Araújo was dismissed during the first-half, PSG ran riot, on their way to an eventual 4-1 triumph at Montjuïc.

Barcelona’s European campaign, as a result, has come to an end, and with it so too has the likelihood of the Catalans securing any form of silverware for the season.

Post-match, though, one individual who was quick to defend Barca and Xavi alike, was the aforementioned Luis Enrique.

Speaking in a press conference, PSG’s headmaster revealed his hope that his Blaugrana counterpart will ultimately go on to reverse his decision to depart in the summer, owing to his ‘ideal’ fit with the club:

“Xavi is the ideal manager for Barça. I hope that he continues for many years.”

During his own media exchange, it therefore came as little surprise when both Enrique’s call for him to stay put, and claim that PSG would still have emerged victorious even in the case of his former club maintaining their full complement of 11 players, was put to Xavi himself.

And the Spanish tactician left little room for interpretation with his response:

“No to both.”

Conor Laird | GSFN