Andres Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez hold the CL trophy aloft
The number 4s are a special breed in Barcelona history:
It was love at first sight, so the story goes. When Barcelona’s then-captain Pep Guardiola first clapped eyes on youth team midfielder Xavi Hernandez he turned to a team-mate and said: “This kid will retire me.”
Several years later when the veteran Guardiola was now playing alongside Xavi in Barca’s midfield, they watched a teenager called Andres Iniesta, and Guardiola turned,this time to Xavi and said: “And this kid, is going to retire the both of us.”
La Masia’s alum are the proud winners of the triple crown, none more heralded than the CL trophy that they hold in their hands. It is in its 20th year of existence and it could not have asked for a better anniversary.
Leo Messi found his “head of God” goal, Andres Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez pillaged the midfield, Victor Valdes, the sentinel kept the Man Utd attack at bay, Carlos Puyol held the defense together, and Pep Guardiola had a dream debut as Barca’s manager in his first year.