Xavi makes triumphant Qatar league debut
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| AFP |
Barcelona and Spain legend Xavi Hernandez made his Qatar Stars League debut on Sunday in Al Sadd's 4-0 win at Mesaimeer.
Xavi has won 28 trophies, including the FIFA World Cup™, two European Championships, and his last performance for Barcelona was in June's UEFA Champions League victory.
For Xavi's new team, Al Sadd, it was a perfect start to the season, winning 4-0 away in a one-sided clash against newly-promoted Mesaimeer, emphasising their determination to go one better than second place last season. After the match, Xavi brushed aside questions about himself, declaring only that the result mattered.
"It was positive to win," Xavi said. "We had a lot of chances, we have a good team and play good football."
His new team even have a good chance of adding to his large collection of medals and winning the league, he added. But the three points aside and however humble he stayed, the match was largely about one thing: Xavi.
The crowd did not have to wait long to cheer for their hero. Xavi earned his first assist in the QSL in the 11th minute, floating a free-kick onto the head of Lee Jung-Soo to put Al Sadd a goal ahead and their lead was never in doubt.
Wearing his trademark No6 but in unfamiliar white and black, Xavi's best spell came just after the second half, when he went close with a free-kick, a header and then one of his trademark defence-splitting passes, presented Musab Keder Kamal with an easy chance. But the right-bank fluffed his big moment and pushed his shot into the side netting.
Xavi, who is on a two-year contract, is not the first big name to play in the domestic league of the 2022 World Cup hosts as Qatar tries to raise its footballing profile. Real Madrid's Raul also played for Al Sadd.