'Xavi wasn't honest with me' - Sergino Dest describes his time under Xavi at FC Barcelona

Speaking about his stint at FC Barcelona, Sergino Dest believes that Xavi didn't give him a fair chance. Before committing to the Eredivisie team on a permanent basis, the full-back went on loan with AC Milan and PSV after joining from Ajax in 2020.

When asked why he believes that going to Barcelona won't work out, Dest gave the following explanation. He said, “I wouldn’t say I regret it, because in the end it wasn’t something that depended on me, but I don’t feel like I had the necessary opportunities with Xavi. I felt like I had to play within limits, that I wasn’t myself. I wanted to join the attack, because that’s my greatest virtue, but he asked me not to go up.”

The former Ajax full-back added, “I don’t think he was honest with me. We had several conversations where he told me one thing but then I doubted whether it was really true. In the summer, before going on holiday, he told me “I’m counting on you, don’t read the press.” And as soon as I got back, he told me “you have to go.””

“I will always carry Barça in my heart” : Sergino Dest 

Dest, however, claims that FC Barcelona will always hold a special place in his heart and doesn't appear resentful of his time there. The United States International further stated that, “It was an incredible and wonderful experience. I will always carry Barça in my heart. It was a shame that it had to end like this because I felt I could still be useful to the club. But when a new coach arrives and has his ideas you can’t change them.”

The American full-back, who played effectively for PSV the previous season, was sidelined until 2025 due to an anterior cruciate ligament injury sustained near the close of the campaign. Dest had only one year remaining on his FC Barcelona contract when he signed a free transfer to PSV this summer.