Barcelona Midfielder Rafinha Claims New Signing Reminds Him of Club Legend Xavi

Author:
90 Min
Publish date:
Jul 29, 2018

Barcelona midfielder Rafinha has revealed that new midfield signing Arthur reminds him of club legend Xavi.

The Catalan giants signed Arthur from Brazilian club Gremio earlier this summer, and the 21-year-old impressed on his Barcelona debut in the club's International Champions' Cup clash against Tottenham Hotspur.

Arthur made an impressive debut as Barcelona won the match on penalties, and Rafinha has become the latest person to draw comparisons between the young midfielder and Barcelona legend Xavi, who now plays for Al Sadd in Qatar.

Speaking after the match, Rafinha told SPORT: "He reminds me... I don't like to make comparisons, but he has the touch of Xavi, the way that he touches the ball. He's a great, great signing for Barcelona."

When asked about Arthur recently, Xavi himself was not happy about the comparisons that had started to circulate in the football industry, between both fans and media.

"I do not like that," he said. "I did not like that I was compared with [Pep] Guardiola or anyone, it's a weight you have on top of you and that's not good.

"[Arthur] has to make his career, show his personality, must show that he is a different player and if we let him be calm he will succeed. But it is very difficult in Barça, very difficult."

Meanwhile, Rafinha also gave his thoughts on new Barcelona signing Malcom, who has joined the club from French side Bordeaux.