Xavi misses Barça staff flight to US as a result of passport situation

Barcelona coach Xavi Hernández has missed his staff’s flight for a preseason tour of the United States due to issues along with his passport, the Spanish membership stated Saturday.

The membership stated that the coach “will be able to (travel) in the coming days” and plans to hitch his staff in Miami, the place it would begin its two-week American tour that includes preseason video games in opposition to Real Madrid, Juventus, Inter Miami and the New York Red Bulls.

The membership stated that Xavi was unable to journey on the staff flight on Saturday “due to administrative reasons and his passport.”

Spanish sports activities papers AS, Mundo Deportivo and others reported that U.S. authorities requested Xavi for extra documentation due to three visits he had made to Iran when he was participant for Qatari membership Al-Sadd. Barcelona declined to remark to The Associated Press in regards to the reviews.

The U.S. authorities has no formal diplomatic relations with Iran, which it considers a state sponsor of terrorism.

Xavi performed for Al-Sadd after leaving Barcelona in 2015 till his retirement as participant in 2019. He then coached Al-Sadd till he returned as Barcelona’s coach in November.

Barcelona’s Twitter account posted movies of a number of of its gamers boarding an airplane on the Barcelona airport on Saturday.

Barcelona will play Inter Miami in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on July 19. It will then face fierce rival Madrid in Las Vegas on July 23, earlier than taking part in Juventus in Dallas on July 26 and the NY Red Bulls in New Jersey on July 30.