Xavi Hernandez is the fifth legend to win the Spanish League both as a player and coach. There are several Barcelona legends who won the Spanish League before Xavi.
The Camp Nou squad officially locked the domestic league title after defeating the home team Espanyol with a score of 2-4. So who are the legendary predecessors of Xavi? Check out the following reviews!
Barcelona’s Early Domination
The Blaugrana’s golden age in the 1920s is a testament to their immense dominance in football. At that time the Barcelona squad was led by a superstar from Catalan, Josep Samitier. The player is indeed known as a valuable asset of a very influential team.
In 1929 Samitier accomplished a monumental feat by lifting the first Spanish League trophy for Barcelona. This achievement has further strengthened his name as the most prolific kicker in the Blaugrana.
After stopping as a player, in 1944 the player decided to return to the club and this time as a coach. It was a crucial moment that didn’t take long for Samitier to prove his expertise in leadership. Exactly one year after taking office, he successfully led Barcelona to win the Spanish League for the second time and this time as a coach.
The next name is a Dutch superstar who joined Barcelona in 1973. The following year, this great playmaker was able to bring the Blaugrana to their first Spanish League title since 1960.
Cruyff was not only famous as a player but also as a coach. His bold and fearless style of play in attack turned Barça into a fearsome force in Europe.
When he returned to Camp Nou as coach in 1988, he was able to overhaul the team and lead them to win four successive Spanish league titles between 1991 and 1994.
Blaugrana Modern Leadership
Pep Guardiola, now known as a successful coach, was part of the Barcelona squad that won four league titles under Johan Cruyff. Not only as part of the winning squad, Guardiola also has personal achievements with the two Spanish League titles he managed to score in the late 90s. His ability to help the team achieve glory makes his name inseparable from the golden history of Barca.
Guardiola was a loyal disciple of Cruyff who managed to bring the legendary coach’s playing style and philosophy to Barcelona’s modern identity. He became a mainstay in midfield and played a crucial role in building attacks and controlling the rhythm of the game.
Xavi Hernandez ability to play the ball efficiently in midfield helps his squad to score goals. After deciding to retire in 2006, Pep did not leave football but instead decided to make his contribution from off the pitch. He re-emerged as coach in 2008, bringing with him new thinking and an innovative playing style.
Guardiola won the full trust of Barcelona after the club parted company with its previous coach, Frank Rijkaard. This coach from Spain then got the task of coaching a squad containing great players such as Ronaldinho, Deco, and Lilian Thuram. With his cold hands, Guardiola was able to bring his squad to various glorious achievements.
Next up is Luis Enrique who led the Blaugrana to win the Spanish League title in his second season driven by the MSN trio. He equaled his achievements as a Barcelona player in the same era as Guardiola.
Enrique previously won his first league title with Barca’s arch-rivals Real Madrid in the 1994/95 season. However, his career changed when he joined Barcelona on a free transfer in 1996. With his ability to help Barcelona win two consecutive league trophies in 1997/98 and 1998/99.
His coaching career reached a peak when he was appointed coach of Barcelona in 2014. With previous experience as manager of AS Roma and Celta Vigo. Enrique returns to Camp Nou with confidence and a mature strategy.
Fifth Legend
So far, four Barcelona legends have won the La Liga title both as players and as coaches. And now, Xavi Hernandez who is also a former Blaugrana key player. Successfully registered his name as the fifth coach who was able to carve the same achievement.
This achievement further confirms Xavi’s position as one of the important pillars in Barcelona’s golden history.
