Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez has said comparisons with his former teammate and coach Pep Guardiola are not helpful for his own managerial career.

Despite leading Barcelona to a first league title since 2019, Xavi has been criticised for the style of play of Barcelona.

Barca recorded 1-0 wins on 11 occasions in LaLiga this season while keeping a league-record equalling 26 clean sheets, but there is a demand for them to be more exciting in attack due to the bar set by now-Manchester City coach Guardiola during his time as coach between 2008 and 2012.

“The figure of Guardiola is weighing me down as a coach,” Xavi told Catalan media outlet TV3 via ESPN.

“I don’t think it’s fair [to constantly make the comparison]. It happened to me when I was a player as well. Everyone has to turn the page.”