Former teammates at Barcelona, Luis Enrique and Xavi Hernandez met this Wednesday in the corridors of the Parc des Princes before the quarter-final first leg between Paris Saint-Germain and Barça. The opportunity for a beautiful moment of complicity between the two Spanish coaches.
By claiming the title of best representative of Barça’s DNA, Luis Enrique launched the psychological war with Xavi before the quarter-final first leg of the Champions League between PSG and the Blaugrana club. If the Catalan press took up the matter to increase the pressure with the meeting, the two technicians quickly defused the situation in the corridors of the Parc des Princes. Former partners in Catalonia between 1998 and 2004, Luis Enrique having also trained Xavi during the 2014-2015 season, the two technicians greeted each other warmly before the match and quickly found their locker room habits.
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“Peloto” (the equivalent of “hair of a b***”), said the Parisian coach to his counterpart in reference to Xavi’s curly hair when he was a player and before taking him in his arms.
“How aggressive! How aggressive,” replied the Catalan with a broad smile and in a joking tone in a sequence detailed by the Catalan daily Sport.
“How’s that for aggression,” retorted a very smiling Lucho. “You know how I am. How are you?”
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“We won’t see each other in the final”
Xavi’s response then confirmed that there were no problems between the two coaches. And this, despite the small exchanges via media interposed before this quarter-final first leg between PSG and Barça at the Parc des Princes.
“We won’t see each other in the final. Don’t protest, you f***ing piece of shit, otherwise I’ll grab you by the necks. I’ll grab you by the necks if you protest.” And the two former sidekicks part with a final smile and a final friendly pat. If Luis Enrique had launched the psychological battle, the first tactical confrontation turned in favor of Xavi and Barça.