ANDRES INIESTA has backed himself and his fellow stars from Barcelona’s Golden Age to return and run the club.
The 35-year-old Spaniard believes he, along with the likes of Lionel Messi and Xavi, could all take the helm after a host of uber-successful playing careers.
Andres Iniesta believes him, Lionel Messi and Xavi could all return to the Nou Camp and run Barcelona one day
He said: “Us players were all there for so many years, experiencing the club as kids then getting into the first team, staying for 10, 12 , 15 years, becoming captains.
“Victor Valdes, Xavi, [Carles] Puyol, then Leo [Messi], Busi [Sergio Busquets], [Gerard] Pique.
“The moment could come when all of those players coincide at the club [again].”
His comments come at a time of unrest at the club with in-fighting amongst the Nou Camp board.
There have also been disagreements over pay cuts during the current coronavirus pandemic.
Iniesta left the LaLiga outfit in 2018 to move to Japan where he remains with the JLeague currently suspended amid a lockdown in the country.
The idea of the club legends coming together to take control at the club they enjoyed so much success with would be music to their fans’ ears.
Since the Xavi and Iniesta era during which the Catalan side were the best team on the planet, Barca have struggled to bring players through from the youth set up into the first team.
Such is Iniesta’s influence at the club, current midfielder Ivan Rakitic says he believes the club should name the club’s ‘La Masia’ training complex after the former hero.
When asked about returning to work with Xavi at Barcelona, Iniesta said: “As a formula it is very good.
“But there are lots of stars that would need to align first.
“Xavi is four years ahead of me. I don’t know where he will be when I stop playing. I don’t know if he will be there. Let’s see, but I don’t know if I will coach or not.”
Lionel Messi has achieved 10 La Liga titles with the club he has spent his entire career at, Barcelona
‘Lionel Messi can leave Barcelona for free at the end of the season’ says ESPN’s Sid Lowe
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
