Maria Merce Creus, mother of Barcelona’s Xavi Hernandez, has revealed her son had an offer from Milan when he was with Barca’s B team.
The Spanish international won the prestigious Prince of Asturias award for sport alongside Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas on Wednesday, yet his mother revealed Xavi’s career could have taken a very different path before he had even established himself in the Bara first team.
“Senor Galliani [Milan’s chief executive] came and put an offer on the table when Xavi played for Barcelona B, offering him a four-year contract and a 150m pesetas net salary,” she said in an interview with TV Cuatro.
“At the time he had [Pep] Guardiola in front of him… but, inside me, I thought it would tear the family apart completely [if he went].
“Besides, I always thought that, although it might be difficult, he would be a success at Barcelona.”
Xavi’s mother also believes that when he finally decides to call time on his playing career he will remain in the game as a Coach.
“I think he’ll be a Coach but I, as a mother, would tell him to be director of football as they don’t have so many problems. I don’t know when that will be because Xavi still has many years ahead of him.”
Senora Creus said she was particularly proud her son had won the Prince of Asturias award and spoke of his friendship with Iker Casillas.
“The Prince of Asturias is a prestigious award. Iker and Xavi are two players who perhaps will never win the Ballon d’Or but are the best.
“The photograph of them celebrating the European Championship win together was lovely and I think it was Iker who rang Xavi. It is a relationship that comes from years ago, when they were very young.
“It’s a friendship that could have been lost but instead it has got even stronger. Friendship is worth a lot of things,” she added.
