New Barcelona boss Xavi's 10 rules that stars must follow after taking charge

Xavi's tenure as Barcelona boss has begun as the club legend took charge of his first training session as manager on Wednesday.

The 41-year-old succeeds Ronald Koeman in the Camp Nou hot-seat as he aims to steady the ship amid what has been the most turbulent period of Barca's recent history in recent months.

The former World Cup winner returns to the club where he spent 24 years off the back of an impressive spell as boss of Qatari outfit Al-Sadd.

Despite the fact the club currently languish as low as ninth in the La Liga table and have suffered their worst ever start to a Champions League group stage campaign, Xavi felt this was an opportunity too good to decline.

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Nine points adrift of league leaders Real Sociedad, Xavi will need to hit the ground running to turn the tide on Barca's fortunes.

In a bid to do so, the eight-time La Liga winner has already implemented 10 new rules all of his players must follow just days into his leadership, according to Spanish outlet AS.

1 - Players to arrive 90 minutes early for training

As is tradition, Barcelona's training sessions will begin at 11am - but all players will now be required to arrive an hour and a half early.

There is a method behind Xavi's first new rule - the early start is so that his stars can adequately prepare for the upcoming session as well as enjoy a quiet breakfast and host one on one chats with members of coaching staff if needed.

2 - Staff must arrive even earlier

Xavi has called on his backroom staff to set an example to the players and arrive two hours prior to the training session starting.

This is for similar reasons as previously mentioned for the players, such as the staff being able to conduct any private chats with the stars beforehand.

3 - All players must eat at the training ground

Xavi has taken the step of demanding all players eat in the Ciutat Esportiva's dining room to keep tabs on their diets in a bid to reduce injuries and increase match-fitness.

Prior to his arrival, players were allowed to eat elsewhere but Xavi is keen to oversee what kind of food and drink his players are taking on.

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4 - The return of fines

Players will no longer be allowed to get away with breaking training ground rules as Xavi has opted to impose strict financial fines for any troublemakers.

No manager since Luis Enrique back in 2017 has implemented any kind of fine structure, but having played under Pep Guardiola - a boss in keen favour of fines, Xavi has duly followed suit.

5 - Fines will be doubled for repeat offenders

The amount each star is fined will double if they commit the same misdemeanour.

This structure was in place for Enrique's reign, in which AS report that some players were docked up to €6,000 for being guilty of the same offences over and over again.

6 - No late nights at least 48 hours before a game

Two days before any game for the club, all players must be at home before midnight.

This rule is thought to have been enforced to reduce the likelihood of any late-comers as well as ensuring players are in the best possible condition.

Xavi is reportedly incredibly strict on this rule in particular, perhaps giving an insight into how he prepared for games back in his playing days.

7 - Players must give it their all

Xavi is expecting each and every player to turn turn up to training each day willing to give every session maximum effort.

The Barca boss is of the mindset that his stars must train with the same passion as they play - anyone who fails to reach that target is likely to fall out of favour quickly.

8 - Off-pitch habits will be monitored

Xavi is expected to clamp down on any mid-season holiday's as he is not keen on the idea of his players flying across the globe while games are still to be played.

Coaching staff will be keeping a watchful eye on how players choose to use their free-time and if it is not appropriate they will be warned before further action is potentially taken.

9 - Players will be banned from 'risky' activities

None of the Barca players will be allowed to engage in hobbies that are deemed a potential safety hazard by the club.

Electric bikes and surfing are just two of the activities no longer permitted by Xavi's regime.

10 - Image is everything

Everyone associated with the club from backroom staff to players will be expected to conduct themselves professionally when in the public eye.

Given Barcelona's status as one of the biggest clubs in the world, the last thing Xavi's needs so early into his tenure would be any controversy.