Caretaker Barcelona boss Oscar Hernandez conceded it will be the "first and last time" he runs a game from the touchlines, after his side's 6-0 win over Inter Miami on Tuesday.
There were six different goal scorers for Barca as they played the opening game of their tour in the United States, with Gavi, Memphis Depay and Ousmane Dembele adding to first half-goals from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Raphinha and Ansu Fati.
With Xavi denied entry into the US reportedly after recent visits to Iran in the past five years with Qatari club Al-Sadd as a player and coach, his assistant was tasked with taking over on match day.
The 45-year-old, who was also an assistant at Al-Sadd, said post-match that he hopes his brother's issues can be resolved quickly, with Barcelona still to play Real Madrid, Juventus and New York Red Bulls.
Nevertheless, he was content with Barca's performance.
"Hopefully it will be my first and last game," Hernandez said. "The situation is not easy for Xavi, but let's hope a solution is found and tomorrow he can be with us.
"We are very happy, because despite being a friendly, things have been seen. Those at the front have been very switched on and deploying mechanisms that we have worked on. We have to create competitiveness and that is how we will grow."
After confirming his transfer from Bayern Munich on Saturday, Robert Lewandowski did not make an appearance but the older Hernandez sibling believes he will an influential addition going forward.
"With his arrival we make a huge leap in quality, because he is a top player in the world," he said.
"The club has made a great effort, but we needed a top player. In addition, he is a footballer with a lot of commitment.
"For Xavi and the coaching staff it is a blessing to have so many forwards, because competitiveness is going to make the team grow.
Hernandez also saved special mention for Ansu Fati, who missed significant amounts of last season due to hamstring injuries.
Along with making it 3-0, the 19-year-old was impressive on Tuesday, providing Barcelona with dynamism they sorely lacked in the last campaign.
"It's like a new signing and a signing at a very high level," the assistant said. "He's growing a lot, physically he's getting better and better and we're very happy, because he's a reference."
Kehrer confident of Tuchel success at Bayern
Thomas Tuchel will be a success at Bayern Munich, according to Germany international Thilo Kehrer.
Tuchel, who had been out of work since he was sacked by Chelsea in September, replaced Julian Nagelsmann on Friday.
Nagelsmann was relieved of his duties despite Bayern having reached the Champions League quarter-finals and sitting just a point off top spot in the Bundesliga.
Tuchel's first game in charge will come against Bundesliga leaders Borussia Dortmund, who he coached between 2015 and 2017, in Saturday's Klassiker, and having worked under him at Paris Saint-Germain, Kehrer feels his former boss is the right pick for Bayern.
"I had a very successful time in Paris under Thomas Tuchel," Kehrer told reporters at a pre-match news conference ahead of Germany's friendly with Belgium on Tuesday.
"He's a coach from whom I've learned a lot and also developed a lot, so I can only say positive things about him - as a coach and as a person. I have always felt his trust and support."
Tuchel has led some of Europe's biggest clubs, claiming two league titles and a Champions League trophy along the way, and Kehrer believes the 49-year-old's experience with big-name players will serve him well in Munich.
When asked how he dealt with the superstar squad he inherited at PSG, Kehrer said of Tuchel: "On the one hand he solved it with his tactical expertise and meticulousness. On the other hand, he is very intelligent in his dealings. Where do you demand discipline? Where do you give players a certain amount of freedom?
"He did that very well in Paris, although it's not an easy situation for a coach. I'm also confident that he will do well at Bayern Munich."
Hansi Flick says the injury that ruled Nico Schlotterbeck out of Germany duty is "nothing serious" and the defender should return for Borussia Dortmund's clash with Bayern Munich.
Schlotterbeck started Germany's 2-0 win over Peru last week, but he has been ruled out of Tuesday's friendly with Belgium in Cologne due to a thigh injury.
However, the 23-year-old – who has both played in (36) and started (33) the most games of any BVB player this season – is expected to be available for Saturday's trip to Bayern.
"We didn't want to take any risks with him," Flick said at Monday's pre-match press conference. "It's nothing serious and in two or three days he'll be back on the pitch."
Bundesliga leaders Dortmund head into Der Klassiker a point better off than Bayern, who sacked Julian Nagelsmann and replaced him with Thomas Tuchel last week.
Chelsea attacker Kai Havertz was another withdrawal from the Germany squad due to illness ahead of the prestige friendly with Belgium at RheinEnergieStadion.
Flick announced Thilo Kehrer and Serge Gnabry will come into the starting line-up in place of Schlotterbeck and Havertz respectively, with "one or two" other changes possible.
Belgium kicked off a new era under Domenico Tedesco with a 3-0 Euro 2024 qualifying win over Sweden thanks to Romelu Lukaku's hat-trick in Stockholm.
The Red Devils are in somewhat of a transition period, with a number of their 'Golden Generation' making way after their recent World Cup group-stage exit.
Germany head coach Flick expects the nation ranked fourth in the world to pose more of a challenge than Peru.
"We started the new year with a win, but in Belgium we have an opponent of a different calibre," he said.
"They have a new coach and a new spirit. You can see immediately they have outstanding footballers in their ranks.
"They are able to defend compactly, but they are also convincing in an attacking sense when they have possession of the ball. They scored brilliant goals against Sweden.
"Even under pressure they always find good solutions. In terms of football, they are one of the best teams and will be a good opponent for us to measure ourselves against."
Jamaica's Reggae Boyz hold Mexico to 2-2 draw but miss out on Concacaf Nations League final
Mexico and Jamaica played to a 2-2 draw in the final encounter in Group A of League A in the 2022–23 Concacaf Nations League at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, Mexico.
The tie assures Mexico the top spot in the group and a place in the Concacaf Nations League finals in June.
Jamaica goalkeeper Jahmali Waite started for the visitors and made a pivotal save early to deny Hector Moreno in the 6’, as the home side looked dangerous early on set pieces.
Bobby De Cordova-Reid placed the Reggae Boyz in the lead with a right-footed laser from outside the box in the 8’, marking his third international goal and first in a League A match.
The hosts responded shortly after as Orbelín Pineda pounced on a rebound inside the box in the 17’, tying the encounter at one apiece.
Jamaica regained the lead off a corner kick in the 33’ when the service from De Cordova-Reid bounced off the left thigh of Edson Álvarez for an own goal.
The match was temporarily suspended due to lightning in the 34’ and restarted as soon as conditions were deemed safe to resume.
After the restart, Hirving Lozano was denied by the top post in the 43’ as Mexico was inching closer to the tying goal.
Henry Martin was brought down inside the box by defender Ravel Morrison as Mexico earned a penalty in the first minute into injury time. Hirving Lozano converted in the 45'+2 to tie 2-2.
Luis Chavez attempted to test Waite from long range in the 54’ but the shot went just wide.
Guillermo Ochoa came up with a quick-witted save in the 57’ on a Jamaica corner headed by Shamar Nicholson.
Second half substitute Diego Laínez saw his own attempt denied by the woodwork in the 75’ as the home side continued to search for the victory.
Lozano nearly had his second of the night, and the potential game-winner, in second half injury time but the attempt was just inches from the far post.
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