Xavi’s opinion of Louis van Gaal changed dramatically after poor first impression

Xavi wasn't is an admirer of Louis van Gaal, but that wasn't always the case.

The Barcelona legend spoke highly of the man who gave him his debut at the Catalan club in an interview with ESPN. Xavi admitted being a fan of LVG's abilities as a coach, particularly the infamously strict discipline he enforces to get the most out of players.

"He is a good person, very good trainer. He has a very strong character, but he’s calm in the Premier League because there’s less pressure. He’s much calmer than when he was at Barca or Bayern Munich." “He’s honest, methodical and a real perfectionist. He’s very demanding, he’s strict and he wants to achieve the highest levels possible.”

Xavi added though, that he wasn't always the biggest fan of the Dutch boss, but that quickly changed.

“After two days of training under him, I thought, ‘Who is this idiot?’ After a week, I thought, ‘He’s right.’ He’ll always be in my heart, Louis van Gaal.”