Doha: Barcelona icon Xavi has said that he first thought coach Louis van Gaal was an "idiot" when he became the boss of the Catalan giants in 1997.

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Xavi is presently playing for Qatari club Al-Sadd SC.

The Dutchman helped Barcelona bag two league titles, one Copa Del Rey and a UEFA Super Cup.

"After two days of training under him, I thought, 'Who is this idiot'," Xavi was quoted as saying by ESPN FC.

Xavi said he, however, grew fond of the 64-year-old after a few days.

"After one week, though, I thought, 'He's right.' He'll always be in my heart, Louis van Gaal."

"He is a good person, a very good trainer. He has a very strong character, but he's calm in the Premier League because there's less pressure. He's much calmer than when he was at Barca or Bayern Munich."

"He's honest, methodical and a real perfectionist. He's very demanding, he's strict and he wants to achieve the highest levels possible."