Xavi names Barcelona star Pedri and 2 other stars as players who remind him of himself

Barcelona great Xavi Hernandez has showered praise on Pedri while naming Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) star Vitinha and Liverpool ace Alexis Mac Allister as two who play similarly to him.

Xavi, a former Blaugrana head coach and player, established himself as one of the all-time great midfielders during his 17-year-long stint at his boyhood club. He won a whopping 25 trophies at the Catalans, making 767 total games often as a press-resistant deep-lying playmaker.

During a recent conversation with Brazil great Romario, Xavi was asked to identify midfielders who remind him of himself. He responded (h/t X/@AlbicelesteTalk):

“Pedri, Vitinha and Mac Allister. These players understand the game, they realize that when they pass the ball, they’re already thinking about the next step, what will happen after the pass. Not just passing for the sake of passing.”

Pedri, 23, has impressed with his technical displays at Barcelona over the last few terms, excelling in a number eight role. He has featured in 39 appearances across competitions for the Blaugrana this term, registering two goals and 11 assists while helping with a La Liga title charge.

Vitinha, on the other hand, has emerged as a vital cog in Luis Enrique’s system at PSG since the start of last year. The 26-year-old Portuguese has registered seven goals and 10 assists in 45 total games and could guide PSG to back-to-back UEFA Champions League wins this term.

Meanwhile, Mac Allister has made a name for himself over the years after winning the FIFA World Cup in 2022 and the Premier League title in 2025. The 27-year-old Copa America winner has produced five goals and seven assists in 51 total games for Liverpool so far this campaign.

Xavi heaps praise on his Barcelona signing

Speaking on Romario’s YouTube channel, Xavi Hernandez claimed that he is a big admirer of Raphinha and shed light on the role he played during his move in 2022. He said (h/t Barca Universal):

“I was the one who signed Raphinha and I was the one who told the club to sign him. I even wanted to sign him when I was at Al-Sadd in Qatar and he was in Portugal, but at the time he stayed in Europe. Later, at Barcelona, I told Jordi Cruyff and Mateu Alemany that we had to sign him because he’s a winner, he attacks deep, he’s strong in one-on-one situations, and he scores goals.”

Raphinha, who left Leeds United in a potential €67 million deal in 2022, is currently out with a hamstring injury. He has found the back of the net 19 times and laid out eight assists in 31 overall games for Barcelona this term.