Xavi believes Barcelona’s three individual accolades at this week’s Ballon d’Or ceremony are testament to the side’s improvement, while he brushed off Julian Nagelsmann’s criticism of Gavi’s Kopa trophy win.
The Catalan club have had a rather disappointing few seasons on and off the pitch, with their lack of silverware being in stark contrast to Clasico rivals – who lifted the and La Liga last season.
Despite Barca’s struggles, Gavi was presented with the Kopa trophy for best young player in Europe on Monday night, while Alexia Putellas won her second Ballon d’Or Feminin and Robert Lewandowski was handed the Gerd Muller award for best striker.
The next day, however, boss Nagelsmann suggested Gavi should not have landed the accolade and felt either Jamal Musiala or Jude Bellingham would have been more deserving picks.
‘Of course, you always have your club-tinted glasses on, but generally I also have my own opinion. I would have voted in a different way,’ said the German coach on Tuesday.
‘In my opinion, Jamal and Jude Bellingham have had a better season than the winner. From my point of view, both are ahead of Gavi.’
Xavi resisted the urge to hit back at his counterpart – who he will meet in the Camp Nou dugout in the Champions League in a weeks’ time – and praised Barcelona’s award winners instead.
Asked about Barcelona’s haul on Monday night, as well as Nagelsmann’s comments about Gavi, Xavi replied: ‘Well, I want to congratulate Gavi and also Alexia and Lewandowski.
‘For me it is a much-deserved trophy. Barca are alive, Barca are there. Although we are not enjoying the best results, we are still there.
‘And of course it’s great to see our players winning individual trophies, now we want to win collective trophies.
‘Nagelsmann’s comments? Everyone is entitled to their opinion.’
The Bayern manager was not the only person to question Gavi’s win, with left-back Alphonso Davies uploading a string of pictures of team-mate Musiala – who he felt deserved to get the award.
Alongside the pictures, Davies tweeted: ‘They may have denied you of your Kopa Trophy, but they won’t deny you of your future Ballon d’Or.’
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