Barcelona have been sleeping, says Xavi

Legendary Barcelona midfielder Xavi Hernandez has called on the club to return to their stylistic roots and the philosophy of the famed La Masia academy, in an interview with digital magazine the Tactical Room.

Xavi stated that the club was ‘sleeping’ on their own model of play and La Masia graduates now rarely make it to the first team on a regular basis.

Xavi told the Tactical Room: “In general Barcelona have been sleeping.

"They have to boost the cantera and their model of play. Young players have to learn this form of play so that when they arrive in the first team they already have the concepts properly learned.

The cantera coaches have to make players, they have to teach them. You have to form them from the youngest ages. If you win, great, but that's not the objective."

Xavi was the cornerstone of arguably the greatest footballing team in the world – a team coached by Pep Guardiola and captained by Carles Puyol – both Las Masia products themselves.

Players like Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta, Sergio Busquets, Pedo Rodriguez. Gerard Pique have all come up through the youth ranks of La Masia, governed by the same philosophy.

While Guardiola’s Barca won all before them while regularly introducing young players to the squad.

Luis Enrique however, has often been criticized for moving away from the style of Total Football that makes Barcelona’s football so enthralling. His tenure has also seen La Masia players shunned for bigger names from outside.

Barcelona are yet to solve their midfield issues. An aging Andres Iniesta can’t play week in week out without proper rest while the like of Arda Turan (supposed to be backup midfielder) have failed to make an impact.