Riqui Puig aims dig at Barcelona boss Xavi | OneFootball

Former Barcelona player Riqui Puig has aimed a less-than-subtle dig at Blaugrana head coach Xavi Hernández.

The name of Spanish tactician Xavi has of course taken its place centre stage in the media headlines over the last 24 hours.

This comes amid fresh criticism, on the back of Barça’s hard-fought victory over Alavés. Amid an ongoing stretch of sub-par performances on the part of the Catalan giants, Xavi has been targeted from all sides, seeing his tactical and personnel decisions alike called into question.

And, as alluded to above, one individual who appears to be of the opinion that such criticism is warranted, comes in the form of Riqui Puig.

Midfielder Puig, for his part, has direct experience of Xavi’s managerial talents, having played under the 43-year-old prior to his departure for Major League Soccer in the summer of 2022.

Evidently, though, he feels as though his former headmaster may not be the right man for the job at Camp Nou.

Taking to his official X account late on Sunday, Puig ‘liked’ a post, criticising Xavi for his move ‘towards a totally unrecognisable Barca’.

“Xavi is on his way to achieving it: a Barça starting eleven without any youth players. Today, only two. We are going towards a totally unrecognizable Barça,” the post reads.

Conor Laird | GSFN