“They will make the club great again” - Xavi hails 3 Barcelona stars as the ‘future’

Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez has shown his faith in youngsters like Lamine Yamal to take the club forward.

Following Barca's 5-3 defeat against Villarreal at home in La Liga on January 27, Xavi announced that he will leave the club at the end of the season. The Blaugrana are out of both cup competitions and are 11 points behind leaders Girona in La Liga with a game in hand.

Xavi's departure has also raised speculation around the futures of some big-name stars. However, the Spaniard is confident that some of the youngsters will help Barcelona progress.

He said (via Barca Times):

"Players like Lamine Yamal, Pau Cubarsi and Hector Fort are the future. They will make the club great again."

Yamal, 17, made his senior Barcelona debut in April last year under Xavi after coming through the club's famed La Masia academy. The teenage winger has impressed in his 31 appearances and contributed three goals and five assists.

Meanwhile, Cubarsi made his senior debut earlier this month in Barca's Copa del Rey clash against Unionistas. The 17-year-old centre-back has already made four senior appearances, having featured in every game since his debut.

Hector Fort made his senior debut in the Blaugrana's 4-3 defeat against Royal Antwerp in the UEFA Champions League in December. The 17-year-old right-back has made four appearances and also provided one assist.

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Xavi expresses gratitude to Barcelona fans, stresses the season isn't over yet

Xavi's announcement of his impending departure came as a shock to many. While Barcelona have certainly struggled this season, they are still alive in La Liga and the UEFA Champions League. They will face Napoli in the Round of the 16 in the UCL.

They will next face Osasuna at home in La Liga on Wednesday (January 30). In a pre-match press conference, Xavi urged the fans and everyone associated with the club to be united. He said (via Barca Universal):

“We must be united, all of Barcelona fans. Especially the fans. I thank them very much for their support. Also to the locker room. And the board. The season is not over. We want to do well.

“We have a mental problem and a football problem. This causes performance to drop. We must organize ourselves.”

The Blaugrana are fourth in La Liga standings and trail Girona by 11 points but have a game in hand. They are 10 points behind Real Madrid and level on points with third-placed Atletico Madrid.