Xavi’s hand is already visible at Barcelona. According to COPE is a scheduled interview of Gerard Piqué at the TV show El Hormiguero canceled after the arrival of the new trainer. Pique was expected next week at the program of comedian cum presenter Pablo Motos. The cancellation of the interview is said to be related to the new climate of order that Xavi hopes to introduce at the Camp Nou.
Pique is currently sidelined due to a muscle injury, but rarely disappears from the public eye. The defender likes to surf in his spare time, gives regular interviews, runs the multi-million dollar company Kosmos Holding, invests in other projects and has a relationship with the famous singer Shakira. Xavi seems to want to put the brakes on by limiting the public activities of players off the field. “There is no reason to be strict,” the new coach said on Monday about his ideas to keep the group of players under control. “It’s simply about order and rules, as with all companies.”
“When rules were imposed on me, I performed well,” Xavi said at the press conference during his presentation. “If that didn’t happen, things went wrong. You need rules and you have to follow them. That’s all.” The Spanish press has been writing about the new climate under Xavi for several days now. According to ASH Ronald Koeman’s permanent successor has introduced ten new rules that players must adhere to. They can be found below.
The new rules at Barcelona under Xavi
1. The players must report to the club one and a half hours before the training
There were times when players only showed up for twenty or thirty minutes before they had to be on the training field at 11 a.m. Koeman’s technical staff made no problem of that, but Xavi wants to see the players one and a half hours in advance. He wants to have time for breakfast together and a good preparation for the training. He also wants to have the opportunity to talk to individual players before training. From now on they must report to Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper at 09.30 am.
2. The technical staff must be present two hours before the training
Xavi wants the coaching staff to lead by example. The entire staff must therefore clock in at 09:00. When the players arrive, they can immediately prepare for training.
3. The players eat at Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper
Players used to be able to choose whether they wanted to have lunch at Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper training complex, but now they are required to do so. They follow the diet prescribed by the club. This would put them in better physical shape.
4. Fines can be handed out again
After the departure of Luis Enrique in the summer of 2017, no more fines were handed out for minor or major offenses. Barcelona acted on the idea that footballers are professional enough to know how to act. “In an ideal scenario, that might work, but it’s more complicated in real life,” writes ASH. “Xavi has experienced the time under Frank Rijkaard, when the rules were relaxed. But Josep Guardiola implemented strict regulations and was successful.”
5. Fines will grow exponentially
The fines being handed out will increase exponentially. For example, if a player is late for training for the first time, he will receive the lowest fine of 100 euros. The second time it will be 200 euros; the third time it will be 400 euros, and so on. In the time of Luis Enrique, there were players who paid around 6,000 euros in fines in a season in this way.
6. Be home on time in the run-up to a match
In the two days before a match, players are not allowed to return home later than midnight. They have to appear ‘in the best possible shape’ for competitions, so they also need to get enough sleep. They should not be seen outside their home after 12pm, if a match is being played within 48 hours.
7. Meritocracy is leading
The same commitment is expected during training as during the matches. Only players who give everything they can in training are entitled to a basic place, according to the newspaper. The players who show less stakes will end up on the bench or will not even be part of the match selection.
8. Monitoring activities outside the football field
Players may engage in activities other than football. However, if those activities hinder their performance, for example because they have to travel a lot or spend a lot of time on them, the technical staff can intervene. Players may not suddenly board a plane during the season for a journey of several hours without permission from the coach.
9. Prohibition of risky activities
Not all activities outside the football field are allowed. Activities that could be risky, such as surfing or using an electric bicycle, are prohibited. They are even considered a breach of contract and therefore a serious offence.
10. Good image
The players are seen as a fundamental part of the club and must therefore set a good example. They must radiate ’empathy towards the supporters’. They must always abide by the applicable rules and have a positive image, so that the image of Barcelona is as good as possible.