Bayern Munich v Arsenal - UEFA Champions League Round of 16 First Leg - Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany - 15/2/17 Bayern Munich's Thiago Alcantara scores their fourth goal Reuters / Michaela Rehle Livepic
MADRID (Reuters) - Barcelona and Spain have been searching for a player to hold their teams together like glue, orchestrating the midfield as Xavi Hernandez used to do for club and country.
Bayern Munich midfielder Thiago Alcantara seems the natural heir to Xavi, who left Barcelona in 2015 having retired from Spanish international the previous year. But although Julen Lopetegui has made the 25-year-old Thiago a key cog in Spain’s midfield, it is significantly harder for Barcelona to bring back their former player.
