Iniesta: I feel Xavi and I cannot play together

Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta has acknowledged that he occasionally finds it hard to play alongside Xavi, before stressing that he feels privileged to be part of the same team as the ex-Spain international.

Iniesta and Xavi have been team-mates at Barcelona ever since the former broke into the first team under Louis van Gaal in 2002-03, while also featuring alongside each other on a regular basis for the national team until the latter's international retirement after the 2014 World Cup.


The duo have both featured in the majority of the Catalan side's games this season, but Iniesta has a feeling that it is not working out with the two in the same team.

"Sometimes I get the feeling that it seems we can't play together," Iniesta was quoted as saying by Marca.

"But it is always a privilege to be by his side because not only does he make your job easier, but he also makes the team work better.

"Sometimes, as with all players, things don't work out.
"We have been together for a long time now and the feelings are always very good, though."

Barcelona went top of La Liga following their demolition of Rayo and Real Madrid's defeat to Athletic Bilbao, and Iniesta is hopeful of increasing their lead in this month's Clasico, although he has stressed the Catalans must focus on the two games before it first.

"More important than being at the top or not is the general feeling of the team after the game we just played. We feel good and have to continue along that line. We have two or three months left to go - not long, but the most complicated part.

"It's always better having that edge than not having it, obviously. But until then we have an uncomfortable game away to Eibar and then the Champions League. There are two games before Real for us to think about. When we do get there, we'll try to maintain our lead or even increase it."