Xavi speaks out before the Clásico: “Real Madrid has a lot of nerve”

By: Ade C. | November 29th, 2009

Ha! You thought I’d let you have a quiet, relaxing morning before the Clásico? You were wrong!

This morning, Spanish newspaper El País published a long, engaging interview with our very own Xavi Hernández. Sit back and enjoy as Xavi speaks about awards, Busquets, the Spanish NT, how “Real Madrid has a lot of nerve” and analyses the Clásico.

20091129elpepidep_1

(apologies for anything that might have been lost in translation, but it’s Sunday morning and I’ve been doping myself with calming infusions since last Saturday)

Question: Congratulations. What’s it like to have a Bronze Ball?

Answer: Hungry. I’m hungry. But… thank you. It’s true, an award like that doesn’t come your way every day. But I only know what I’ve read, no one’s told me anything. I don’t know. But if it’s true, I’m very proud. I depend on the team, and if the team works… if I don’t have teammates to whom to give the ball, it makes no sense for me to play. But there should be more Barça players there. Andrés Iniesta is missing from the podium. Iniesta is a great footballer. But it’s a privilege to be amongst the three best football players of the world. I’d have never imagined I’d see myself in that kind of picture.

Q. And all of it, pass by pass.

A. I don’t know how to do anything else! I don’t play to get these awards. I want the team to win. I’ve never thought about getting a Bronze Ball or to be in the list for the FIFA World Player. I don’t really care about that, but if it comes, then it’s all for the better. Now all of a sudden I’m a celebrity and Iniesta and I are fashionable! But Andrés, when he was 18, was already a great footballer. And I’ve been playing for Barcelona for 12 years.

Q. You’ve always played the same?

A. Basically, yes. There was a time I played further back, but I’ve always given the same to the team. Now I move forwards more, I play closer to the box. But that’s not the difference. The difference is that now we win. Winning changes a footballer. You get valued thrice as much. You win and then you’re wow!, very good! Even for other players. They don’t look at you the same.

Q. Do people look at Barça differently now than three years ago?

A. Yes, it’s something that stands out. Now it’s wonderful to be a Barça player. It’s the first time we get so much recognition. You go to the UEFA gala, you see yourself in Marca, at the LFP, at the Centenary… and other players come up to you, former players, veterans… that they thank us for how we play, even if they’re not Barça fans, that’s the best! “And with home-grown players, and so humble,” they tell you… that’s something to be proud of, but it’s the prize for the Barcelona school.

Q. What is?

A. That you get recognition, not only for playing well, but for you having an elegant behaviour both when you win and lose, for respecting a style of football and a set of values. That’s what I’m most proud of, the prize to La Masía, to the things I learnt from Vila, Benaiges, Tort, Vilaseca… and now, from Pep.

Q. Does that schooling show in him?

A. Yes, Guardiola is a clear exponent of that culture. We are privileged students of a great school, that’s obvious.

Q. Even Busquets?

A. He has something else. You look at Busi and you say, “This one is not worth a damn. He doesn’t even have style”. But he sees the game before anyone else, always on the first look. He’s so tall, and always half stooping, falling down but with his head held high… he needs to see the field, where we are and then he makes up his mind. And always well. But, besides, he’s a right bastard. He gets a leg in, he goes for the crash, he’s puta, from the street. That kind of cunning, you either have it or you don’t.

Q. And does someone have it at Real Madrid?

A. Yes, Sergio Ramos has it, and Pepe… Raúl has it. They know when to protest, when to throw themselves to the ground and bring the match to a halt… I don’t know how to do that. That’s also something you either have or you don’t.

Q. Raúl is not going to be on the starting XI tonight.

A. I don’t know, but Real Madrid, whoever plays, is Real Madrid.

Q. Do you think you can remember all the Real Madrid managers you’ve seen in a Clásico?

A. Since I’ve been playing for Barça? Ufffff! Hiddink, Capello, Schuster, López Caro, Juande… I’m forgetting someone…

Q. Luxemburgo, García Remón… is Real Madrid Real Madrid, whoever the manager is?

A. Well, Real Madrid is always Real Madrid. They have always had three or four players capable of making the difference. I’ve heard so many times, “This year we must trash them”, and I’ve always thought, “Uns collons trashing them! One-nil and say thanks, it’s Real Madrid!”.

Q. What do you envy from Real Madrid?

A. It’s not so much from Real Madrid as it’s from madrileños. I envy them their optimism, that cockiness they have that allows them to tell you with absolute conviction, “We. Are. Going. To. Beat. You” (he says in a Madrid accent). In the meanwhile, we are thinking , “Ay, ay, ay”. We are sufferers and they are very cocky. And then they have to eat their losses, but it’s all the same, the next match they’re back to thinking theyre the Re-al-Ma-drí. That fascinates me. Historically, that optimism has given many matches to Real Madrid.
I had a theory: a Liga where we were head-to-head, a Liga that Real Madrid won. Fortunately, Guardiola has taught us different. Now we are very sure of what we’re doing and we’re going to die for that idea. Against Real Madrid you can’t doubt. So we’re coming for them. Intensity, rhythm… either we play very well or we won’t win. They’re ultra-competitive and they can win however they play. Because they have a lot of nerve.

Q. I beg your pardon?

A. Real Madrid has a lot of nerve. Six of them come on the attack with so much cheekiness that you’re left saying, “where are they going?”. And you don’t realize, and they’ve scored twice. The only year I’ve seen them play orderly was last year, but they looked like a small team, all huddled back. Usually, Real Madrid plays you like you’re equals. The best Real Madrid I remember was the one with Zidane, Roberto Carles, Beckham, Ronaldo… they completely dominated us. But we sneaked in a draw with a goal I scored by chance. They were better, but we stood up to them. That’s the way these matches go.

Q. Are you expecting Real Madrid to play all over the place today?

A. I expect that we can impose our personality over the game. We have a very good team and, if we up the pressure, the talent will come up, whoever is playing. But we have to keep up the pressure from the first minute in. They like to break matches. They like to drive the ball. We have to play like an accordion, without breaking down, because then we’d suffer. If those playing forward help, everything is easier. The trouble is that just when you think you’ve got it, Iker (Casillas) comes up. His self-confidence is amazing.

Q. Pedro’s goal against Inter was the paradigm of the Third Man Theory?

A. Yes, exactly. Before he gave me the ball, I knew I’d look for Alves and I was thinking, “I hope he runs, I’m going to give it to him”. He saw it, zig-zag, pim-pam, goal. It was a one-two-three dribble and it came to Pedro.

Q. What does Pedrito have?

A. He’s very smart and he has grown up with Pep. He knows when to open the game, when to close it…

Q. Are you thinking about leaving the Spanish NT after the World Cup, like Puyol is thinking?

A. I’ll stay until my body can keep up and I can be of any use, until I see there’s no place for me there. If I can go to the 2014 World Cup, great. You know, with the NT, zero engagement (he says ironically).
.
.
.
.
And that’s it, folks! All I can say is, “Oh, *snap*!”.

Don’t forget to read the preview, sing the anthem and light a candle to your favourite footballing deity for this evening!