Xavi replaced Pep Guardiola on the pitch as the midfield playmaker having been promoted to the first team by Louis van Gaal and is interested in following him as manager of Barcelona.

“Hopefully I can [follow Guardiola] and even more so in my home here,” Xavi told El País.

Guardiola became manager of Barcelona in 2008.

“My playing days are numbered, that is clear. I can feel it in my body as it is difficult for me to recover and I need to measure how much effort I am putting in,” said Xavi.

“I don’t have the same sharpness to play every three days any more.”