Watch: Xavi's last match ends in defeat for Al Sadd
Xavi Hernandez’s dazzling career came to an anti-climactic end when his side Al Sadd were beaten 2-0 by Iranian giants Persepolis in their last group match of the AFC Champions League on Monday.
The 39-year-old midfield genius, who helped Spain win the World Cup in 2010 besides helping Barcelona win two UEFA Champions League titles and eight La Liga titles, was cheered by poster-carrying fans at the Azadi Stadium in Tehran where already-eliminated Persepolis put on an improved display to register only their second win in six matches.
Xavi was also honoured by the Persepolis management, but Al Sadd’s second defeat in a row, following their 4-1 thrashing by domestic rivals Al Duhail in last week’s Amir Cup final in Doha, must have left him with mixed feelings.
Al Sadd had already qualified for the last 16 of the Asian tournament and they had hoped a victory on Monday would be an apt send-off for their captain who has been with them for four years.
But although the Spaniard produced some signature passes and watched a free-kick late in the game sail agonizingly over the goalpost, it was hosts Persepolis who made the most of the chances that came their way.
Before that though the...