Xavi Simons reveals secret behind leaving Barcelona

Tottenham midfielder Xavi Simons has finally broken his silence regarding his departure from Barcelona in 2019. A product of La Masia, Simons spent a full decade with the Catalan side before making the surprise move to PSG at the age of 16.

Speaking on The Sports Agents podcast, the player dismissed widespread rumors that his exit was motivated by money. Instead, he pointed to a lack of genuine trust from the club's leadership at the time as the driving factor behind his decision.

It was clear from the beginning that they did not believe in me. They told me that they had another group of players they trusted, and that I was not among the players who form a real part of the project. Xavi Simons

Simons noted that the narrative surrounding his departure was hurtful to both him and his family. Upon arriving in Paris, he quickly integrated into an elite environment, training alongside world-class talents like Neymar, whom he now considers a close friend and mentor.

The interview also touched upon his current physical recovery. Simons suffered a serious cruciate ligament rupture at the end of April, an injury that forced him to miss the 2026 World Cup. He described the initial period as extremely difficult but remains optimistic about his daily progress.

When they confirmed to me that it was the worst possible scenario, I felt as if the entire world had collapsed on top of my head. I am improving day by day, and that is something that makes me very happy. Xavi Simons