Every Barcelona fan has seen a photo from 1999, where Pep Guardiola congratulates shy 15-year-old Andres Iniesta on his win in the Nike Cup. What some might not know is the prediction Pep made for himself and one of his teammates before the photo was taken.
"You will retire me, but this kid will retire us both!", Pep told Xavi as they were watching the teenage star in action.
Xavi came through the ranks at La Masia and joined the senior team in the summer of 1998. Most people at the club saw him as Guardiola's successor but Pep believed it was not going to be for long.
It's interesting how things turned up in real life: Iniesta didn't retire Xavi. Instead, they formed a deadly midfield duo that was a major threat to any team in La Liga and in Europe.
On the other hand, Xavi did replace Pep but as the Barcelona manager.
