The former Spain and Barcelona midfielder will travel to Tehran on May 20 for their last group stage match in the 2019 AFC Champions League, where they will face Iranian giants Persepolis at the Azadi Stadium in Tehran, Qatari daily newspaper Al-Raya reported.
The 39-year-old won eight La Liga titles and four UEFA Champions League trophies while at Barcelona.
The 2010 World Cup-winner will replace Manuel Jesualdo Ferreira as Al Sadd next year head coach and is excited to see “what the future holds”.
In a statement released to Spanish news outlet AS, he added: “My philosophy as a coach reflects the style we developed for many years under the influence of Johan Cruyff and La Masia, and that has its greatest exponent in the way of playing football in Barcelona.
“I love seeing the teams take the initiative in the field, attack football and return to the essence of what we all love from our childhood days: possession football.”
The midfielder – who scored 13 goals in 133 appearances for Spain – left Barcelona in 2015 and joined Al Sadd on a three-year contract.
He will continue his work with Generation Amazing, a Qatari program created “to ensure the 2022 World Cup leaves a human and social legacy”.
- source : Mehrnews
