Even though Sergio "Kun" Agüero only had four appearances for Barcelona, he delivered when it counted like he always did as a player — his striker record at Cataluña is limited to just one goal, but it was against Real Madrid, and those memories will always be there.
The former Argentina striker spoke up about FC Barcelona's present situation in an exclusive interview with AS, stating that the team was going through a "very tough time" when Xavi took over as coach. In addition, he discussed Lionel Messi of Inter Miami and his potential return to Barcelona, stating that he thinks it's only "a matter of time" for the team's all-time leading scorer.
Agüero claims that Xavi Hernández joined Barcelona during a "very tough time for the club," when financial difficulties fundamentally changed operations at one of the most renowned organisations in international sports.
A series of bad results in recent games has led to criticism of the manager's tactics. However, Agüero says that Xavi "has Barça in his DNA" and acknowledges that his old squad, who are preparing for a difficult finish to 2023, "will need some time to gel."
The former forward for Manchester City is optimistic that Xavi can turn things around despite the difficult path the team has recently been on. He is also aware that the blaugrana have already undergone changes, as they did win La Liga the previous season despite the uncertainty surrounding Xavi's future.
Kun remarks, "He has been able to deliver excellent results in a short time," before going on to say, "He's a young manager [who] assembled a team that combines seasoned players with young talents."
The conversation then turned to Lionel Messi, a friend of Kun Agüero and a former colleague at Albiceleste who just won his eighth Ballon d'Or and is referred to by Agüero as "the greatest player of all time." Since leaving PSG, the World Cup-winning captain has swept through MLS.
Naturally, Messi gained his reputation with Barcelona, and ever since his tearful departure from the team, there have been persistent whispers that he may return to Cataluña in the future.
Agüero told AS, "Leo always said that he loves Barcelona," before adding that Messi is still "very identified with the club and city" despite departing under terrible circumstances.
Agüero notes that the 36-year-old and the player "haven't discussed" in particular if Messi would return to Spain once he quits from professional football.
Agüero disagrees, stating that Messi's love for his previous team endures and that "sometimes I just think it's a matter of time" before he returns to Barcelona. David Beckham recently disclosed his intentions for Messi after retirement.
Barcelona's next match is scheduled for Saturday, November 25, 2023, at 8am ET / 5am PT at the Estadio de Vallecas in Madrid, Spain. The team will be playing Rayo Vallecano. When it comes to his selection for that game, Marc-Andre Ter Stegen and other players are questionable because of injury, so Xavi has some important decisions to make.
