In interviews with Catalan sports papers El Mundo Deportivo and Sport, Barcelona midfielder Xavi (28), who can tomorrow play his 100th European game with Barcelona, also talked about the present.Which progress did you make as a player over the last years?
I feel better what the team needs at a certain moment, if you have to play faster, to push more forward, to touch the ball one or two times.
You feel more pressure now you have been elected MVP of the European championships?
Now I'm even more motivated to keep on being important at this club. Maybe the fans will ask more from me but I like challenges. At Barcelona there has always been pressure. The only thing I notice is that the opponents are now more aware of me and cover me better when I go forward.
What is the comment that has hurt you the most over the years?
That I don't feel the colours. I've read that and it hurt me a lot. Maybe some could be up there with me but there's no one who is more 'culé' than I am. I know you cannot be loved by everyone but still... They have also always said that I was too horizontal but people houldn't forget that I grew up playing as 'pivote' (creative midfielder before the defense) and from that position it's more difficult to give an decisive pass.
Alves and yourself are the only players who have started all games. You feel you're a fixed starter?
No, nobody is vital in football. But I do feel very respected and very comfortable in Barcelona.
You are responsible for taking the corner kicks. There are now more possibilites than last season?
Before we had one strategy, which was getting the ball to the first post for Márquez to head it. Now, with Guardiola and Vilanova, we're working with more options and we already scored some goals.
This was the first part. You can read a second part here tomorrow, with Xavi talking, amongst other things, about Guardiola and the Shakhtar game.
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