Xavi admits he is nearing retirement

Barcelona midfielder Xavi has conceded that he is approaching the final stages of his football career.

The 34-year-old is widely regarded as one of the best central midfielders in the history of the sport, but the Spaniard has admitted that he now has "little football left".

"I have little football left, it is clear. I can feel it in my body, I find it harder to recover, I meter out my effort, I don't have the spark to play every three days. I can feel it," he told El Pais.

Xavi joined Barcelona in 1991 – emerging through the club's renowned youth system before making his first-team debut in 1997.

Since then, the midfielder has made more than 700 first-team appearances for the Catalan outfit.