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Xavi Hernandez prepares for emotional goodbye to Nou Camp

Xavi Hernandez prepares for emotional goodbye to Nou Camp

A week after securing the La Liga title, Barcelona will today bid a fond farewell to one of their greatest ever servants as Xavi Hernandez plays his last league game for the club.

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The veteran midfielder, who has made 764 appearances for Barca, more than any other player, confirmed on Thursday that he will leave the Nou Camp in the summer to join Al Sadd in Qatar.

Xavi has been little more than a fringe player this season, with Ivan Rakitic quickly taking over his role as the key play in the centre of the field, but manager Luis Enrique confirmed the highly respected club captain will be handed a start against relegation-threatened Deportivo La Coruna.

Although there are still two more games remaining, today is almost certain to be Xavi’s last start in Barca colours, with any minutes he receives in the upcoming cup finals against Athletic Bilbao and Juventus likely to come from the bench.

Enrique quipped that Xavi will soon come to appreciate the quality of the team-mates he is leaving behind, saying: “Now he’s going to learn the harsh reality of football.

“Here, he makes a pass and gets a nice pass back. There, he’ll make a pass and he’ll get a melon back.

“I’m joking. He is going to have a great experience, it is a logical decision and the door is always open to him here.”

Another player set to start is Thomas Vermaelen, who Enrique confirmed will finally make his club debut after an injury-plagued first season having signed from Arsenal.

But the Barca boss was far more reticent about his own future, which remains unclear despite his success in leading his team to the league title and two cup finals.

Enrique has previously asserted that he will make his own decisions when he is ready, and he was not prepared to discuss recent comments made by club president Josep Maria Bartomeu insisting he wants Enrique to stay.

“I’ve got nothing to say about that topic,” he said. “I will talk about it at the end of the season.”

Although the result of today’s encounter has no real significance for Barca, that certainly isn’t the case for Depor, who know an unlikely victory would be enough to secure their top flight status.

The Galician club are currently two points clear of the drop zone, and midfielder Alex Bergantinos said: “This is the most important game of my life. We will be more intense and focused than ever.”


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