Twelve minutes from the end of an enthralling, unrelenting Champions League final, two Barcelona legends stood on the touchline and embraced. Andres Iniesta took off the captain’s armband and wrapped it meticulously around the upper arm of Xavi, his replacement. Xavi ran on to a great roar from Barcelona’s fans.
The best team of our generation said goodbye to one era last night and ushered in another in the same instant. Xavi, their heart and soul through the magical Pep Guardiola years will leave for Al Sadd in the summer and others will follow him away from the Nou Camp.
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