Xavi "stop making a fool of yourself"

Xavi Hernández has once again been challenged over his defence of the virtues of life in Qatar. The former Barcelona and Spain star recently said in an interview with FIFA that the Arab country is “an easy place to live, very comfortable, safe and welcoming.”

Xavi’s Qatari views criticised

This time the criticism directed towards Catalan manager came from the world of water polo, in Spain’s Víctor Gutiérrez. On his official Twitter account he posted:

"Maybe it has something to do with your being a man, white, straight and a millionaire, Xavi. Qatar is an absolutist country where homosexuality, for example, is punishable by prison. Do yourself a favour and stop making a fool of yourself every time a microphone is put in front of you.”

The water polo star did clarify his feelings in a subsequent tweet where he said that Xavi "deserves the best of retirements after a brilliant career" although he again insisted that there was no need to "praise a system that does not respect human rights.”