Injuries May Force Xavi Hernandez To Choose Barcelona Over Spain

Barcelona orchestrator Xavi Hernández may be forced to choose between club and country, according to reports out of Spain. Persistent tendon problems have forced Barça coach Pep Guardiola to monitor his star midfielder’s use, but with the tendinitis proving chronic, the overworked creator may be forced to start taking his summers off.

The result has been unprecedented success for Spain while piling on to Xavi’s club workload. In each of the last three seasons, Barcelona has made the semifinals of UEFA Champions League, with the increased number of European fixtures compounding the stress of consecutive league title pushes. Combined with a Copa del Rey title in 2008-09 and the extra matches that followed Barcelona’s 2008-09 Champions League triumph, Xavi’s success and (to this point) health have made him the busiest footballer in the world.