Soccer Monday – review and guide

Evergreen Xavi

Barcelona fans can't help but suspect current captain Xavi Hernandez's days at the club are numbered amid on-off rumors of the veteran's possible departure to Qatari club Al Sadd.

The fact that Xavi made his 500th La Liga appearance on Saturday makes it harder for supporters to say goodbye to the old hand who never stops making history.

Barcelona's Xavi Hernandez applauds the supporters after finishing the La Liga match between RCD Espanyol and FC Barcelona at Cornella-El Prat Stadium, April 25, 2015 in Barcelona, Spain. [Photo/CFP]

Xavi went on as an 88th minute substitute with Barca poised to defeat city nemesis RCD Espanoyl 2-0, thanks to a generous decision by head coach Luis Enrique, making the midfielder the eighth to join the 500-club in the history of the Spanish top flight.

The 35-year-old made his La Liga debut in 1998 during the reign of Louis van Gaal, now manager of Manchester United who, known for his bold promotion of young talents, eventually parted ways with the Catalan side amid condemnation from the media but was hailed in retrospect for the extraordinary vision displayed in signing Xavi.

The then 18-year-old had to compete for a starting berth with Pep Guardiola, who would later become his coach from 2008 to 2012 and jointly create the Barca "dream team" featuring a pressing, tactically elaborate style, known as "tiki-taka" and deemed the most entertaining to watch at the formation's peak.

Seventeen years on, Xavi has become one of the most accomplished players in terms of trophies with a collection of seven La Liga crowns, two Copa del Reys, three UEFA Champions League titles and a pair of FIFA Club World Cups.

The "tiki-taka" maestro, who runs tirelessly, passes precisely and sets up clever goals for teammates, once formed a formidable midfield duo with Andres Iniesta and together they played an instrumental role in the Spanish national side's record winning streak of Euro 2008, 2010 South Africa World Cup and Euro 2012.

The glory of the aging midfield pair, however, is waning this season as Xavi has often been benched and Iniesta is gradually showing his loss of form.