Gerrard praises 'masterstroke' decision to make Xavi manager

Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard has heaped praise on Barcelona for appointing Xavi as their new manager.

Speaking after the Liverpool Legends vs Barcelona Legends game over the weekend, Gerrard admitted to being a fan of the Catalan club and praised Xavi for helping the club recover from the rough patch they have suffered over the past year. He said:

“He obviously knows the style that everyone around Barcelona wants to see. After some challenging times it looks like as if they are getting back to where they need to be. It was obviously a huge result against Real Madrid. As a Barcelona fan from afar, it’s really good to see them back doing well."

The Barcelona legends won the game 2-1 with Giovanni Silva and Rivaldo getting on the scoresheet. Meanwhile, Gerrard scored for the Liverpool legends.

The Englishman is currently the manager of Premier League side Aston Villa. His side are 9th in the league, ten points behind Wolverhampton Wanderers in 8th. They will take on Wolves at the Molineux Stadium following the international break.

"Masterstroke by Barcelona" - Liverpool legend Gerrard on Xavi's appointment

Gerrard also called Barcelona's appointment of Xavi a 'masterstroke'. He said:

"I think the appointment of Xavi was a masterstroke by Barcelona to appoint someone who has Barcelona in his DNA and who was a world-class player for so many years."

Xavi has turned around the Catalan club's season since taking over as manager back in November. The Blaugrana are currently 3rd in La Liga, three points off Sevilla in 2nd with a game in hand.

The Catalan giants are currently on a 12-game unbeaten run across all competitions and are coming off a 4-0 win against Real Madrid in the El Clasico. Xavi's side will face Sevilla on April 4th before taking on Eintracht Frankfurt in the first-leg of the quarter-finals of the Europa League.