Xavi heaped praise on Pep Guardiola saying the Manchester City manager was a perfectionist and the most influential footballing figure in the last decade.
Guardiola arrived at the Etihad ahead of the ongoing Premier League season and has produced results immediately. Under the 45-year-old, City enjoyed an unbeaten 11-match streak in all competitions before suffering a 2-0 league defeat against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
Despite producing good results, Guardiola has been insisting for improvement in the top-ranked Premier League side and has maintained that his team will be a lot better in three years. The Qatar Stars League sensation believes his former Barcelona boss will help City achieve high standards.
"City will learn a lot from Guardiola and they are beginning to see a style. He is influential, obsessive and a perfectionist," Xavi was quoted as saying by Marca.
"If anyone can change the dynamics of English football, it is Guardiola.
"He improved us all. He has been the most influential person in world football in the past 10 years."
Xavi also said he considered Cristiano Ronaldo as the hot favorite to win this year's Fifa Ballon d'Or award. The former Spain international's comments comes as surprise as he had called Lionel Messi a better footballer than the Real Madrid star last month.
Notably, Ronaldo lashed out at Xavi saying the 36-year-old had made such comments to attract media attention.
"Ronaldo has a big chance to win this year's Golden Ball having won the Champions League and the European Championship," Xavi added.
"But I also think it will be very competitive because there is Messi, of course."
