Riqui Puig: Xavi forced me out Barcelona; we 'were' family friends

LA Galaxy midfielder Riqui Puig admits Barcelona coach Xavi pushed him out of the club.

Puig left Barca last year for the MLS club.

He recalled to Sport: "Before the end of the season, we sat down and he told me that he didn't count on me.

"With the president it was different, he saw a future in me and wanted me to stay, but I wasn't going to stay at a club where the coach didn't want me. It hurt me when he didn't let me train the first few weeks (of preseason). The treatment was not good.

"I had a contract and I had to play as a player for the club that I was at. That annoyed me. I quickly looked for a way out and going to the other side of the world has been good for me."

Puig admits Xavi's actions surprised him.

"Yes. He called me twice and my parents to go to Qatar (with him). There was a relationship, between the families. It hurt me as a player and as the friends I thought we were with Xavi's family that I couldn't succeed with him. This sometimes happens, but not being able to train the first week of pre-season bothered me a lot."