MADRID (Reuters) - Barcelona and Spain have been searching for a player to hold their teams together like glue, orchestrating the midfield as Xavi Hernandez used to do for club and country. Bayern Munich midfielder Thiago Alcantara seems the natural heir to Xavi, who left Barcelona in 2015 having retired from Spanish international the previous year. But although Julen Lopetegui has made the 25-year-old Thiago a key cog in Spain’s midfield, it is significantly harder for Barcelona to bring back their former player. With Xavi retired and his long-time partner Andres Iniesta, entering his final years at the top level, the onus is on the likes of Thiago to assume the mantle. If Thiago does succeed with Spain, Barcelona will have an uncomfortable reminder of what might have been for them — unless they are willing to pay a high price to bring him back to the Nou Camp.

Source: The Star March 27, 2017 15:11 UTC