FCBARCELONA.CAT

17.05.2010 12:07

Xavi joins title elite

Vanessa Forns

Xavi Hernández is celebrating his fifth league title win after helping FC Barcelona to retain top spot this term and only Antoni Ramallets and Pep Guardiola are above in the record books with six each.

The Catalan midfielder has been hailed as one of the key players in the Blaugrana squad and he was instrumental in the club earning their 20th championship triumph. Xavi now just needs one more to make it an elite hat-trick of players with six wins to their name.

Joining up

In July 1991 the Terrassa-born midfielder joined FC Barcelona aged 11 and began his incredible ascent to stardom. In the summer of 1998 coach Louis van Gaal gave him his first-team debut in the Spanish Super Cup encounter with Real Mallorca. Since that day Xavi has been at the centre of teams under Carles Rexach, Llorenç Serra Ferrer, Raddy Antic, Frank Rijkaard and Pep Guardiola.

Eight with five

With a fifth title under his belt Xavi joins a group of eight other famous names in Barça history to have that many championships. Miguel Ángel Nadal (1991-88) was the most recent just after Albert Ferrer (1990-98), Hristo Stoichkov (1990-95 and 1996-98) and Guillermo Amor (1988-98). Before them Seguer (1943-57, César (1942-55), Gonzalo III (1942-54) and Velasco (1942-54) won five each.

Antoni Ramallets

Xavi can now set his sights on equalling the record of six titles that was first set by legendary Barça star Ramallets. The goalkeeper spent 15 seasons playing for the Blaugrana (1946-61) and won the championship in 1948, 1949, 1952, 1953, 1959 and 1960.

Pep Guardiola

After him came current coach Guardiola as he wrote his place in the record books with six triumphs between 1990 and 2001 as he became synonymous with the nummber four shirt at Camp Nou.

During the 1999-2000 campaign Guardola spent much of the season sidelined through injury and it was Xavi that stepped into his position in the midfield playmaking role.