Barcelona legend Xavi has played himself into Rangers fans’ good graces by praising the side and factually announcing them as a contender to win the UEL.
The-now manager at the Spotify Camp Nou (will anyone ever get used to that) finds his side in the UEL for the first time, with Barca never having won this competition in its previous form, and while fans in Catalonia are outraged at how their team finds themselves in this position, their boss has nothing but respect for the Famous and pegs them firmly as a side who can go all the way.
He said:
“As somebody who has played in Glasgow, nobody is going to get an easy time against Rangers. But it is a competition we are taking seriously and want to win.”
As he should, and they are now favourites, but he followed that up with:
“The quarter-finals are very strong and at this stage everybody involved will feel they have a chance to win.”
Correct. Anyone in the last 8 of the UEL is there on merit, and has a realistic chance of lifting the trophy.
But the fact that such a legend of the game had much kinder words to say about Rangers than his ex-team mate Lionel ‘anti-football’ Messi says all for the grace the man has and the respect he shows our club.
No Surrender Xavi, unless we face you in the final that is…