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Former Barcelona midfielder Bernd Schuster believes Xavi Hernandez needs to end the Lionel Messi chapter at the club before guiding the players into a new era.
Schuster has stated that Xavi's first task is to unite the Barcelona players and give them a style of play that suits their potential.
Speaking to German publication Bild (via PSG Talk), Schuster said:
“First of all, the club must shake off the Messi syndrome. They need to be very honest when it comes to analyzing what the current squad offers, unite the youngsters and veterans by getting them to play the same way, and give them a style of play which fits with their potential. Even if it’s not what the fans want right now after getting used to seeing Tiki Taka at its best.”
Xavi Hernandez has been revealed as Barcelona's new manager following the sacking of Ronald Koeman. He was previously the manager of Qatari side Al-Sadd.
The 41-year-old won one Qatar Stars League and two Qatar Cups during his tenure in the Middle East.
Barcelona and Lionel Messi continue to struggle without one another
Lionel Messi and Barcelona have had underwhelming starts to the 2021-22 season. The Argentine talisman moved to Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer over the summer.
The 34-year-old is yet to score a goal in Ligue 1 and has struggled to maintain consistency due to injury concerns and international commitments. However, he has scored thrice in the UEFA Champions League, including a brace against RB Leipzig.
Barcelona seem to have suffered the most since Lionel Messi's departure. The Catalan giants are currently languishing at ninth place in the La Liga standings, having picked up just 17 points from their first 12 games.
The Blaugrana were held to a disappointing 3-3 draw by Celta Vigo last Saturday, despite leading the game 3-0 at half-time.
Meanwhile, Lionel Messi was out of action over the weekend. The forward missed his second consecutive game for Paris Saint-Germain after sustaining a knee injury.
Despite these injury concerns, Messi has been called up to the Argentina squad for their World Cup Qualifying games against Uruguay and Brazil.
