Barcelona manager Xavi speaks out on Busquets, Alba and Pique departures

This season has seen Barcelona club legends Gerard Pique, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba announce their departures. 

First team manager Xavi has spoken out on the issue, with the trio being former teammates of the midfielder, it cannot be said that they were favoured. 

However, their departures mark an end of an era for the Blaugrana. The veterans are leaving the club in the hands of the talented youngsters at the club such as Ronald Araujo, Alejandro Balde and Frenkie De Jong in their respective positions. 

Xavi Hernandez speaks out on Busquets, Alba and Pique departures from Barcelona

“When you have to make decisions contrary to what the player would want, it starts to get difficult. I had to tell Pique to step aside, that he would play less. It was even hard for me to sleep, because we had a lot of fun together,” Xavi Hernandez recently told Marca. 

“With Jordi Alba you have the feeling that you are failing as a friend, but you have to prioritise the team.”

“It happened to me with Luis Enrique, you don’t understand it, you have the feeling that you have to play after so many years as a starter. Jordi got angry, you have to understand it. But later there was a group chat and he told us that he was one hundred percent committed. And that’s how it was, like Pique. They knew how to leave at the right time.”

Pique retired from football altogether in November, while Alba and Busquets will be leaving at the end of their contracts next month.