Xavi credited Ousmane Dembele's willingness to take risks after the France winger starred in Barcelona's 4-0 thrashing of Athletic Bilbao at Camp Nou.
Barca moved back to within three points of Real Madrid on the LaLiga table by putting Athletic to the sword on Sunday, with Dembele opening the scoring before recording three assists.
By laying on goals for Robert Lewandowski, Sergi Roberto and Ferran Torres, Dembele recorded four goal involvements in a single game for Barca for the first time, in what was his 165th Blaugrana appearance.
Dembele's tally of five assists in LaLiga is the best in the competition this season, and Xavi described the 25-year-old as a difference-maker following Barca's victory.
"He was in the spotlight because he takes risks and it's like a flip of a coin. He was especially motivated," Xavi told Movistar.
"He understood everything well. He's here to make a difference and he's capable of doing these things."
Barca raced into a three-goal lead within 22 minutes as Athletic collapsed, before controlling possession as Pedri repeatedly drifted inside from an unfamiliar left-wing role.
"We thought it was a game of intensity and rhythm, we understood that they were going to put a lot of pressure on us," Xavi said of Barca's approach.
"We put one more midfielder in and we attacked inside. We found the superiority and we matched their intensity, those were the keys. We showed solidarity and it was a complete game."
Barca endured a run of just one win in four matches earlier this month, losing to Clasico rivals Madrid and failing to beat Inter in two Champions League meetings, leading captain Sergio Busquets to emphasise the importance of their response.
"We came from a difficult week after losing against Madrid, but we have remade ourselves with two good games and we continue to fight for the top positions here," Busquets said.
"We came out very strong, because we knew that they are a very intense team and we wanted to match that intensity.
"We had ten minutes of great success in front of goal and that made it easy for us to break up the match."
Yaya Toure confident of managerial opportunities despite Vieira sacking
Yaya Toure is "very positive" about having opportunities in management despite seeing Patrick Vieira recently sacked by Crystal Palace.
Toure was disappointed to see his former Manchester City team-mate lose his role as manager of the Eagles, who replaced Vieira with 75-year-old Roy Hodgson until the end of the season.
Speaking at a Football Black List event, the former Barcelona and City midfielder paid tribute to Vieira, whose dismissal meant there are no black managers in the Premier League.
"Patrick Vieira is a great person, and a great coach as well. I think it's a sad part of it," Toure said.
"It's a concern because if you have 50 per cent of the black players playing Premier League, and maybe one or two per cent of managers or coaches are black, it's quite strange."
Toure has taken up coaching since retiring from playing in 2019, with short-term assistant roles at Ukrainian side Olimpik Donetsk and Russia's Akhmat Grozny, before returning to England to work for Tottenham's academy in August.
He has designs on becoming a manager himself one day, and still believes the opportunities will be there for him.
"I think the Premier League and the FA are working hard to get it right, because for us it's very important," he said.
"And as well, for me, I can say, I'm confident, to be honest. I'm confident, I'm looking forward, I'm very positive [about] how the opportunities are going to come for me and I'm going to be ready for it."
Laporta: Barca's 'doors are open' for Lionel Messi to return
Barcelona's "doors are open" for Lionel Messi to return to the club, according to president Joan Laporta.
Messi joined Barca at the age of 13, going on to enjoy a hugely successful spell with the Catalan giants that saw him lift 10 LaLiga titles and win the Champions League on four occasions.
Barca's financial troubles meant Messi left the club in 2021, signing with French side Paris Saint-Germain on a two-year deal with the option to extend it for a third.
However, Messi is yet to agree to the extension and with his existing deal due to run out at the end of this season, there are rumours he could make a shock return to Camp Nou, with close friend and former team-mate Sergio Aguero rating the probability of Messi returning to Barca at "50 per cent".
Messi scored his 800th career goal with a stunning free-kick as Argentina returned to action after World Cup glory in Qatar with a 2-0 victory over Panama on Thursday.
Laporta says the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner is welcome to rejoin Barca, telling YouTube show The Business and Money Behind Sports: "Messi is the best player in history. He has been the most important player in the history of Barca.
"I have to be very careful with what I say. Messi is a PSG player and I have to have respect.
"Leo knows we have him in our hearts. He is part of our emblem. The legacy I found myself in when I became president was not good, and I had to make a decision that I'm not satisfied with. I have to find a way to improve Messi's current relationship with Barca.
"We'll see, but he knows that the doors of Barca are open."
Messi's Argentina are back in action on Tuesday against Curacao, when the 35-year-old will have the opportunity to score his 100th goal for La Albiceleste, having reached 99 with his historic strike against Panama.
Aguero rates chance of Messi return to Barca at '50 per cent'
Lionel Messi has a "50 per cent" chance of returning to Barcelona, according to former team-mate and close friend Sergio Aguero.
Messi left Barca for French side Paris Saint-Germain in 2021 after a long and decorated spell with the Catalan giants, winning 10 LaLiga titles and lifting the Champions League on four occasions.
His time in the French capital has been mixed, however, failing to deliver PSG's long-awaited first Champions League having been knocked out in the last 16 the last two seasons.
Messi scored his 800th career goal with a stunning free-kick as Argentina returned after World Cup glory in Qatar with a 2-0 victory over Panama on Thursday.
With the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner's contract at the Parc des Princes set to expire at the end of this campaign, Aguero feels a reunion with the club he first joined when he was 13 could be on the cards.
Aguero called upon Barca president Joan Laporta to bring Messi back to Camp Nou, telling Kings League's Twitch: "Laporta has to make an effort to bring Leo back.
"I think Leo should retire at Barca. Barcelona is his home, he has to finish his career here.
"My feeling is that there is a 50 per cent chance that he will return.
"I think if Laporta does that step [to contact Messi], everything will be much closer to happening."
Messi's Argentina are back in action on Tuesday against Curacao, when the 35-year-old will have the opportunity to score his 100th goal for La Albiceleste having moved on to 99 with his historic strike against Panama.
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