The current season marks the first time that FC Barcelona have advanced to the knock-out rounds of the UEFA Champions League after a break of two years.
Despite trailing Real Madrid by eight points in La Liga, the Catalans have been more successful in the Champions League, as they have advanced to the quarter-finals, where they are going to face PSG.
The win over Napoli in the Round of 16 was a significant achievement for Barcelona, especially as the Catalans had to pass the test of facing some of the most feared forwards in Europe like Victor Osimhen and Kvara Kvaratskhelia.
Another player that stood out for the Italians in this tie, and who was also praised by Xavi before the second leg, was the midfielder Stanislav Lobotka. The Blaugranes are currently looking to reinforce their midfield pivot position in the coming summer, and this praise from Xavi opened doors for speculation about Lobotka’s potential move to Barcelona.
As SPORT has reported, the player himself acknowledged the praise he got from Xavi, and shared how much it meant for him as he spoke to the media after featuring with Slovenia in a 2-0 win over Portugal:
“It’s a pleasure to have your childhood idol, Xavi, praise you for how you play. It gives you the energy to keep working.”
While making it clear that he is currently fully focused at Napoli, the midfielder also opened the door for a potential move in the coming summer:
“Right now, I’m only thinking about Napoli and the important match we have on Saturday, but we’ll see what happens in the summer.”
In addition to the skills that he shows regularly while playing in Italy, another thing that makes him a good candidate for Barcelona is his experience of playing in La Liga, as he had played for Celta Vigo for some years.
After these comments, Barcelona fans might see him linked even more closely with their club in the coming months. However, it is far from certain which name Deco will ultimately choose to strengthen the club’s midfield, as several other names have also been linked with the club in recent months.
