Speaking about his former . Barcelona team-mate Neymar, Xavi commented that the Brazilian needs to learn to behave himself while challenging Real Madrida s Cristiano Ronaldoa s claim to the Ballon da Or 2014.
Neymar and Xavi had an altercation during Barcelonaa s parade following their Champions League victory and the Spaniard explained that it was due to Neymara s behaviour towards the fans. Explaining the situation to the media at his unveiling at Al Sadd SC in Qatar, Xavi claimed that Neymar was trying to take off his shoes while pushing him on the bus instead of concentrating on thanking the fans who had come out to support the team following their treble win. Admonishing his behaviour, Xavi claimed that the player just couldna t afford to behave in any manner he deemed correct.
a These parades are for the people after all. Ita s okay to have three or four beers but the parade is for the people and ita s the chance for us to thank them for our support. You cana t just do what you want to do.a
Speaking about Neymara s clash against Athletic Bilbao where he was confronted by the players for show-boating during the closing stages of the game, Xavi commented that the Brazilian had to learn to adapt to the league in Spain and not provoke unnecessary hostility from the opposition.
a If you do that [trick] in the first minute when ita s 0-0 it is one thing but if you do it when he did ita he needs to think about that.a
While Xavi praised Barcelonaa s attacking options with the addition of Neymar and Suarez to the squad, the Spaniard also took the opportunity to criticize Real Madrida s Cristiano Ronaldo, who according to him, had no right to win the 2014 Ballon Da Or.
Xavi claimed that if the award was to go to best player in the world, then Lionel Messi would triumph over Ronaldo at every single awards ceremony. But if the award was to go to the player who had the most successful year, then a German international should have won the trophy instead of it going to Cristiano Ronaldo.
a If you are just giving the award to the best player in the world then Messi should always win it and if ita s for the football year that the player has had, then a Spaniard should have won it in 2010 and last year it should have gone to a German player.a
a Why did Ronaldo win it when Germany were World Champions?a
Xavi even went on to say that only someone who did not understand the game or was a team-mate of Cristiano Ronaldoa s would give the vote to the Portuguese international over Lionel Messi.