Xavi has admitted that he would like to one day coach Lionel Messi at Barcelona and has backed his former teammate to continue playing for another six years.
Spanish midfield legend Xavi retired from professional football last year and has spent the past 12 months managing Qatari side Al-Sadd.
The 40-year-old rejected the chance to take over as head coach of Barca in January, but he has openly confessed that he hopes to one day return to Camp Nou.
Should that happen, Xavi is hopeful that he will get the chance to manage 32-year-old Messi and another former teammate in Neymar, whose Paris Saint-Germain future is up in the air.
"Messi has five or six years left in him yet," Xavi is quoted as saying by AS. "He looks after himself. I see Leo playing in another World Cup. I am sure of it.
"Training Messi would be huge, we are speaking about the best player of all time.
"Neymar, football-wise, is among the three or five best in the world. I hope that he returns to Barcelona.
"He would add a lot. A positive character. It would be an extraordinary signing to become a difference-maker."
Xavi won eight La Liga titles and four Champions Leagues during his 17 seasons with Barcelona.
Daniel Lewis
