Wednesday 1 July 2015 10:21, UK
The Champions League final would be a fitting curtain call for midfield artists Xavi and Andrea Pirlo.
The two greatest midfielders of a generation will go head to head for what could be the last time when Juventus and Barcelona compete for Champions League glory in Berlin.
While Xavi will probably have to settle for a place on the bench, Andrea Pirlo will be central to Juve’s plans. But, despite playing different roles on Saturday night, the veteran pass masters have been similarly influential in the modern era.
In a footballing age where physical attributes have become increasingly prominent, Xavi and Pirlo have gracefully dominated through a combination of impeccable technique and perfect passing.
Barcelona’s Dani Alves once said “Xavi plays in the future” when discussing the Spaniard’s ability to spot movement before it has happened, and Pirlo possesses that same talent. While Xavi has imposed his style with Barcelona and Spain, Pirlo has done it with AC Milan, Juventus and Italy.
Trophy haul
Between them, their trophy haul is scarcely believable. The duo have won 14 league titles, five Champions Leagues, five domestic cups, two World Cups and two European Championships since 1998. In total, they have shared 37 honours for club and country, and the 38th will follow on Saturday night.
Xavi broke down in tears at a farewell event this week as he prepares to see out the twilight of his career in Qatar, and Pirlo is also weighing up a proposition from the Qatar Stars League as well as the MLS. While Pirlo’s future is not set in stone, it is certain that this will be their final meeting on European soil.
Both will be sorely missed, and this week their mutual respect was obvious as they provided glowing references of each other in the build-up to Berlin.
“I am happy to have played so many times against Xavi,” said Pirlo, who, at 36, is one year older than his counterpart. “He is a great champion and a great man.”
Of Pirlo, Xavi beamed: “A footballer in capital letters, spectacular. There is no player in the world right now that shares Pirlo’s talent. We played at all levels before finally meeting as professionals, when he was playing for Italy, Milan and now Juventus. I have always been a fan and admirer of Pirlo.”
Tributes
One man who is better placed than most to comment on Xavi is his former Barcelona team-mate and Sky Sports pundit Thierry Henry.
"For me, he's Mr Barcelona, like Tony Adams was Mr Arsenal," Henry said this week. "He won everything that he could win. It's like the maestro with the orchestra, that's what he was for me.
“The word 'great' doesn’t do him justice. This is an amazing, unbelievable, brilliant player that's about to leave us."
Juventus goalkeeper Gigi Buffon, meanwhile, has led the tributes to his team-mate Pirlo, describing him as “one of the few footballing geniuses”.
Andres Iniesta is not far behind Xavi and Pirlo for legendary status, and the 31-year-old was also full of praise for the duo this week as he revealed Barcelona are desperate to win the trophy to give Xavi a fitting send-off.
"One motivation is Xavi," he told reporters. "It would be perfect. It is spectacular for a player like him to be able to say goodbye to the best season possible.
"Pirlo has always had an impact on the teams he has played. He's a global reference. But for me, the No.1 midfielder is Xavi. I have been fortunate to have him as a friend and companion all my life. As for Pirlo, his career and his impact are references for any player. The numbers speak for themselves and it will be nice to see the players face to face."
While Iniesta rates Xavi ahead of Pirlo - and the Spaniard does have the edge for trophy wins - these two supreme midfield talents deserve equal appreciation. They will fight on different sides in Berlin, but their legacies will live on regardless of the result.
Treble?
Both sides know victory would clinch an historic treble, but with Lionel Messi at the very peak of his powers, Barcelona are strong favourites. Pirlo, however, lifted the World Cup on his last visit to Berlin’s Olympic Stadium.
“The memory of that magical night remains indelible and I hope to live the same emotions,” he said. "Last time it went well for me, this time it will hopefully be the same.”
It is unthinkable that Xavi will not emerge from the substitutes’ bench at some point during the game, and it will be a privilege to see the two masters face each other for one final time.
“We could meet again, in Qatar or in Ibiza, but in terms of football it's no longer going to be the same," said Xavi this week. Indeed, it could be a long, long time before we see two era-defining midfielders like Xavi and Pirlo again.
Watch the Champions League final between Barcelona and Juventus live on Sky Sports 1 HD on Saturday from 6pm
