Xavi: Zero importance in Messi's Luis Enrique row

 

The midfielder, 35, is adamant that the Argentine's training ground fallout with the Camp Nou coach will not affect the Catalans this season and played up Neymar's importance

Xavi has insisted that the row behind the scenes at Barcelona between Luis Enrique and Lionel Messi will have "zero importance" for the remainder of 2014-15.

Reports surfaced that the pair's relationship was beyond repair earlier this month, with the coach rumoured to be on the verge of the sack

as Barca pleaded with Messi to stay, although recent good results have lessened the air of negativity around Camp Nou.

Defender Jeremy Mathieu broke the silence from within the Catalan club by confirming on Thursday that there was an incident in training which saw Messi and Luis Enrique engage in a heated argument.

However, veteran midfielder Xavi has insisted that there is nothing abnormal about a coach and a player falling out temporarily and suggested such moments of tension between colleagues can happen hundreds of times over the course of a season.

"[The row Mathieu spoke about] was a normal situation in a season and it often happens when people work together," he told reporters on Friday. "People want to complain, but we should not give it more importance, it happened in the heat of the moment.

"The row subject is closed, Barca are together - everybody is motivated and, honestly, we are together. Jeremy's words are not affecting us, we found a solution to that incident and moved on.

"The importance attributed to the row is zero. This is not the first time such a thing has happened, it happens with a lot of team-mates, it's just what occurs when people work together.

"We all want to win, there are sometimes stressful situations that happen during the training sessions - that happened and will happen 200 times."


Xavi also discussed the impact Neymar is having at Barca, as the Brazilian's impressive second season continues in Spain, with the attacker having scored 21 goals in 25 appearances under Luis Enrique.

"Neymar is an extraordinary player that is making the difference for us," he said, following Neymar's double as Barca knocked Atletico Madrid out of the Copa del Rey in midweek.

"He will always be affected they the rough play of the others, but he is used to it and he's happy. The critics on Neymar are overplaying what he said.

"Due to his style of play, and his understanding of football, it is hard to change his persona. You need to know how to lose and to win, but this is not Neymar's situation.

"Just a few people can make a difference at a club like Barcelona at the age of 22. If he keeps on his current trajectory, he will soon be considered among the list of the best players of the world, if he's not already one. Neymar's future is immense and extraordinary."