Xavi had a surprising position in store for Sergiño Dest on Tuesday evening during the exhibition game between Barcelona and Boca Juniors (1-1, 2-4 after penalties). The wing defender was posted as a left winger, a position in which he previously played a few matches in the Under 19 of Ajax. After the friendly match in honor of Diego Maradona, Xavi was not entirely dissatisfied with what he had seen.
“We’ve seen a lot of players in positions where they don’t normally play. Alejandro Baldé as a winger, Yusuf Demir as a midfielder, Philippe Coutinho as a false striker, Dest in a position he is not used to. The young players were good and played with confidence. New positions and positive conclusions. Although we lost on penalties, I am satisfied. This was a good test, that’s more important than the result.” Sport and Mundo Deportivo up from Xavi’s mouth.
“Players who normally play little, such as Neto and Riqui Puig, also achieved a good level. The most important thing was to be able to make minutes here,” continues the Barcelona coach. He was particularly pleased with Dani Alves, who made his comeback in the Barcelona shirt in the Saudi capital Riyadh. “His return was very positive for the team. Everyone has seen that he is a sensational player, who raises the team spirit and adds character to the squad.”
“Of course I am also responsible for that, but his arrival and his experience will help us enormously. He can contribute a lot”, emphasizes Xavi. The Barcelona coach was also asked about the winter transfer window. “We will see what will happen. Much depends on our salary budget and the Financial Fair Play rules, because we are not in a good position in that respect. We will try to strengthen the team, as we have done with Dani. I had no doubts when we got the chance to bring him in.”