Xavi laughed at the news of selling players to Real
According to Spanish media, Fati wants to leave Barca this summer when he is not used by Xavi. The Spanish player has received the attention of Premier League clubs and is even rumored to be able to join rival Real.
However, Xavi has denied this information. "This is a joke, isn't it?" he said, then burst out laughing, during the press conference before the match against Cadiz in the second round of La Liga, when asked about the possibility of Fati going to Real. "I have been very frank about Fati. The debates that are being generated are pointless. Fati is an important player and part of Barca's legacy, both now and in the future."
Fati is a mature talent from La Masia, promoted to Barca's first team in the 2019-2020 season. Initially, he wore the 22 shirt and earlier this season switched to the number 17. After the legendary Lionel Messi expired his contract and moved to PSG, the Barca leadership decided to give the number 10 shirt to the Spanish player.
Fati was expected to become a new icon at the Camp Nou, but consecutive injuries have affected his development momentum. Last season, the striker only started 12 La Liga matches, making the remaining 24 substitutions, scoring seven and assisting four goals. In the opening match against Getafe last weekend, Fati also only kicked the last 11 minutes.
In the 0-0 draw at Getafe, Raphinha received a direct red card for beating defender Gaston Alvarez at the end of the first half and had to miss the next three matches. In the second half, it was Xavi's turn to be sent off because of a backlash after Barca was denied a penalty, and was banned from directing for two matches. The 43-year-old coach accepted the penalty, did not want to create more controversy and admitted that he needed to control behavior and better attitude from the technical area.
Xavi aims to win his first match at the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium with a capacity of 49,000 people, half the capacity of 99,000 at Camp Nou - the stadium is being renovated to increase the number of seats from 99,350 to 105,000 with a budget of up to 1.7 billion USD. The renovation of the Camp Nou is expected to be completed in the 2025-2026 season.
Finally, when asked what fans can expect from Barca in the new season, Xavi replied: "The main goal is for the whole team to play better football. This takes time and maturity. Last year, we played well, but we did not maintain consistency. Barca must try to play like in the final of the Spanish Super Cup against Real."
