As a foreshadow of tomorrow’s Clasico, I will discuss Xavi’s influence on Barcelona.

As any viewer can see, Xavi frequently dominates the midfield with his mere presence. He dictates the cadence of the midfield with more control than a general with his army. His passes are with the utmost precision, with the calm and collected demeanor of a man having a kick about in his backyard with his son.

One of Xavi’s main skills besides his piercing vision and guided passes is his seemingly unconscious ability to drift into open space. An example of this is the Barcelona vs Real Madrid game in the 5-0 Clasico. He pushed up higher, where the man marking him, Mesut Ozil, was most uncomfortable. Xavi takes a different approach with each man that marks him, so it is impossible for them to know where he will be next.

Xavi’s influence must be written about in volumes, like the Persian poet Rumi. The post I have written is nothing but a mere glance at his power in the past 5 or so years at the Camp Nou.