Luis Enrique’s dig at Xavi and Barcelona – “If this had happened in our time…”

Luis Enrique’s recent docuseries on Movistar+ has stirred controversy because of the Spaniard’s open and candid remarks.

In the second episode of the docuseries, Enrique was revealed to fire his guns at Xavi Hernandez.

During Barcelona’s Champions League game against Paris Saint-Germain last season, Enrique took a subtle dig at Xavi Hernandez.

What did Enrique say?

Ahead of the said quarterfinal clash, one of Luis Enrique’s assistants pointed out Barça’s defensive lapses.

Luis Enrique then seized the opportunity to criticize Xavi’s tenure, suggesting that the team’s struggles stem from a lack of dominance in possession.

“The key to the tie will be the team that controls the ball,” he said (h/t Diario SPORT). “Barcelona haven’t been a guarantee of this in Xavi’s two seasons. It’s not a dominant team, nor one that maintains possession.”

Xavi and Enrique do not share the best of relationships (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

“If this had happened in our time, we wouldn’t just be punished, we’d be crucified. How the narrative changes,” the Spaniard added.

Last month, more clips from the aforementioned documentary showed how Enrique took more shots at Xavi, comparing his Barcelona team to Eibar.

Before that Champions League encounter, both coaches had already exchanged jabs during pre-match interviews. However, they downplayed the tension by sharing a seemingly friendly embrace in the tunnel before the game.

It will be interesting to see whether the two coaches lock horns anytime soon.

Xavi, for his part, is currently a free agent after being sacked by Barcelona earlier in the summer. Enrique, meanwhile, is still in charge of PSG and has guided the French team to an excellent start to the season, even with the exit of Kylian Mbappe in the summer.