"This is the right time to leave FC Barcelona"

"I would like to announce that I am leaving Barcelona", said Xavi Hernández to state that at the end of the 2014/15 he will be calling an end to his 17-season-long playing career with FC Barcelona.

The 35-year-old midfielder added, "this has been a difficult decision. I was able to stay here for another year, but now my playing time has diminished. I need to change things up so I’m moving to Qatar, where I’ll be joining Al-Sadd. As well as continuing my playing career, I’ll be able to do my coaching training, towards becoming a sporting director. My family and I have an exciting project ahead of us in Qatar".

Xavi, who played featured in 30 and started 18 games with the recently crowned Liga BBVA winning FC Barcelona side, declared "not being in the starting line-up as much has been tough, but I’ve got on with things as my love for this jersey is greater than anything else". Despite the fact that the man with 504 Liga BBVA appearances who is also Barcelona’s most lauded player of all time in terms of Liga BBVA titles (with eight to his name) admits that los azulgrana offered to extend his contract until 2018, he justified his reasons for leaving by saying "this is what my brain and body are telling me to do. My heart is a different matter though, because that will forever be a Barca fan".

On the topic of his career highlights, Xavi Hernández struggled to pinpoint any one in particular. "It’s hard to choose one. By simply playing for Barcelona I have been given immense joy. In my opinion this is the best club in the world. I’ll always have the friends I’ve made here. I’ve loved every minute of it, from the first till the last", mused the Tarrasa-born footballer.

Xavi Hernández, who won the Liga BBVA title again on Sunday and still has his eyes set on lifting the Copa del Rey and the UEFA Champions League trophies, emphasised that there is no better away to say farewell. "This is the best exit I could have hoped for, it’s as if I wrote the script myself. It’s spectacular. We’ve managed to win Liga BBVA, which is the season’s fairest competition as it reflects the great work we’ve been doing throughout the year", continued the legendary midfielder who has lifted 23 trophies with Barcelona, as well as two European Championships and one FIFA World Cup with the Spanish national team.

Barcelona’s final Liga BBVA game of the season sees them take on RC Deportivo on Saturday, and Xavi hopes that his curtain call in the Camp Nou "is a celebration. I don’t want to forget the fans, they’ve been fantastic and I hope I don’t let myself down, although this is the right time to leave". As to how he would like to be remembered, Xavi added: "I don’t like to talk about these things, but I’d like to be remembered as someone who gave their all for Barcelona and the national team, who always went out to win and who helped his team-mates".

After confirming his departure from Barcelona and his new venture in Qatar, Xavi Hernández stated "I’m confident I’ll return and stay connected with my home. My goal is to come back here one day".