In a recent interview with SPORT, former Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez reflected on the current progress of FC Barcelona under Hansi Flick. He expressed admiration for Flick's ability to develop a young core of players, many of whom flourished during Xavi's own tenure. Xavi, who is now coaching the Netherlands national team, remains closely connected to Barcelona and its developments.

Xavi noted, "Barça are doing very well, to be honest. A fantastic generation of players. Hansi is doing very, very well, which makes me very happy to see how things are going." He emphasized the importance of the players who have emerged from his time as manager, including Lamine Yamal and Fermin Lopez, who are now key figures in the first team.

When asked if he believes the club's current success can be traced back to his coaching, Xavi humbly stated that he was pleased to see young players thriving at the highest level. He remarked, "If we were at least able to help in some small way to turn the club around at what was practically the worst moment in its history over the last 20–25 years, then we’re already happy." He expressed immense pride in seeing players like Lamine, Fermin, and Pau Cubarsi achieve success, especially after their World Cup victory.

The conversation shifted to the prestigious Ballon d'Or award, where Xavi endorsed Lamine Yamal as a strong candidate. He believes that the award should honor a Spanish player, especially following Spain's World Cup triumph. However, he acknowledged the remarkable performance of Lionel Messi, stating, "At 39, his World Cup campaign has been tremendous, fantastic, but Spain are world champions and surely a Spaniard should win it." Xavi concluded by expressing his belief in Yamal's unique talent, saying, "Lamine is special, he’s different, he’s 19 and he’ll win it without a doubt, but it would be a good year for him to win it now."