{"id":1326014,"date":"2023-10-03T12:12:06","date_gmt":"2023-10-03T11:12:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/?p=1326014"},"modified":"2023-10-05T09:54:45","modified_gmt":"2023-10-05T08:54:45","slug":"xavi-names-toughest-opponent-100-barcelona-games","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/news\/xavi-names-toughest-opponent-100-barcelona-games\/","title":{"rendered":"Xavi names surprising player as toughest opponent as he prepares for his 100th game in charge of Barcelona"},"content":{"rendered":"

“I don’t have any doubts, he’s ready to do the job. He knows the game, he has passion and I’m pretty sure he has more experience now than I had when I took over”.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

These were the words<\/a> of former teammate and mentor Pep Guardiola when Xavi took over at Barcelona after the sacking of Ronald Koeman in November 2021.<\/p>\n

Fast forward nearly two years and with two trophies under his belt, the midfielder, who made an incredible 767 appearances for the club during his 17-year stint, is preparing to take charge of his 100th game as manager of the the Catalan giants. Barcelona face Porto in the Champions League on Wednesday, the 10th different manager to reach this milestone.<\/p>\n

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    Despite a tough start to his life back in Barcelona, the powers that be kept faith with the 43-year-old, as he stamped his style on the side. They were rewarded with two trophies in 2022 and 2023, beating rivals Real Madrid 3-1 in the Supercopa de Espa\u00f1a final, after finishing a whopping 10 points ahead them in the league to secure the clubs’ 27th LaLiga title as Xavi became just the fifth man to win the title as both a player and a manager of the club.<\/p>\n

    After 99 games, Xavi’s record reads 63 wins, 17 draws and 19 defeats with a 63.6% win ratio, which is the fourth-best of any manager in their first 100 games for the club after Luis Enrique (80%), Pep Guardiola (71%) and Ernesto Valverde, who won 68 of his first 100 games in charge. In terms of goals scored compared to the aforementioned managers, Xavi also comes in fourth with 191, with Luis Enrique once again topping the charts with 282, when MSN was at it’s most deadliest, followed by Pep with 242 and Valverde with 241.<\/p>\n

    Considering the fact that the club has been in financial turmoil and Xavi has taken over during the time when the irreplaceable Lionel Messi left the club, these numbers are far more impressive. Especially when you add in the fact that Barcelona conceded just 20 goals in the whole of the season in LaLiga last term, including just four in their 19 home league matches.<\/p>\n