The former Spain midfielder has been Al Sadd’s boss since his playing career ended with the Qatari club in May.

He said Barcelona chief executive Oscar Grau and sporting director Eric Abidal offered him the manager’s job before sacking Ernesto Valverde on Monday.

The La Liga leaders instead appointed former Real Betis boss Quique Setien.

“I did not agree to this offer, especially as it is too early for me to coach Barcelona,” said Xavi, 39.

“But it will still be my dream to coach the team in the future.”

Xavi, who made more than 750 appearances for Barcelona between 1998 and 2015, added that he “loves” Setien.

“I love the way he works and I expect him to succeed with the team,” he said.

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Lionel Messi, who did not score or provide an assist for the first time in a home Champions League group game since 2012, struck the bar and had the best of Barca’s six shots on target.

His fierce left-footed strike was well saved by Ondrej Kolar in the first half.

Barca remain top of Champions League Group F, while the visitors are bottom.

Ernesto Valverde’s side have eight points from four games, while Borussia Dortmund are in second spot with seven points after beating Inter Milan in a thriller at the Westfalenstadion.

The visitors started brightly but the exciting Nigerian striker Peter Olayinka was unable to latch onto Petr Sevcik’s square pass in the fourth minute.

Barca were lacklustre early on and their most potent attacking threat was full-back Nelson Semedo, who twice broke clear down the right, before wasting the final ball.

Messi then grew into the game, showing glimpses of his brilliance without being able to strike the decisive blow.

The Barca talisman brilliantly turned Michal Frydrych in his own half before bursting clear and firing a shot at goal, but his effort struck the crossbar.

Moments later, Kolar was on hand to keep out a Gerard Pique header with another acrobatic save.

Both sides had goals disallowed for offside after the video assistant referee (VAR) intervened, as first Jan Boril’s close-range finish was ruled out, and then Arturo Vidal’s finish was chalked off after Messi was penalised in the build-up.

Winger Ansu Fati, 17, was introduced off the bench in the second half and he quickly fed Messi with the outside of his right foot, but the Argentine could only direct his shot straight at the excellent Kolar from close range.

Barcelona lost 3-1 to Levante in La Liga on Saturday and coach Ernesto Valverde said: “We haven’t been convincing, either on Saturday or today, and we know there is a lot of pressure now on the team. We have to respond.”

The La Liga champions face Borussia Dortmund at home in their next Champions League game on Wednesday, 27 November (20:00 GMT), while Slavia host Inter Milan at the same time.

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Messi, who had recovered from a calf injury to feature, was replaced at the start of the second half after suffering a thigh problem.

The Argentine, making his 400th La Liga start, provided the corner for Antoine Griezmann to head home off the bar before Arthur made it 2-0.

Santi Cazorla pulled a goal back.

After the game, Barca boss Ernesto Valverde described Messi’s injury as a “small problem in the adductor”.

“When something happens to Messi, everyone stops, not only on the field, but in the stands as well,” he said.

“As a precaution we have decided not to risk it. In theory, it is nothing more but we will see tomorrow how it is.”

Although far from their fluent best, Barcelona climbed four places up the table to fourth in La Liga to help ease the pressure on Valverde after a poor start to the season.

After his injury, the Barca captain received treatment on the edge of the pitch before carrying on until half-time.

The forward was replaced by French striker Ousmane Dembele at the start of the second half.

Elsewhere, newly promoted Granada went top of La Liga – level on points with Athletic Bilbao and Real Madrid – after drawing 1-1 at Real Valladolid.

Real Madrid entertain Osasuna on Wednesday (20:00 BST) while Bilbao are at bottom club Leganes (18:00 BST).

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Sergi Roberto was shown a straight red card with the score 1-1 at the end of the first half of an ill-tempered El Clasico after he appeared to slap Real defender Marcelo.

Roberto had earlier provided the cross for an unmarked Luis Suarez to fire the hosts into the lead before Cristiano Ronaldo bundled the equaliser after Karim Benzema’s downward header.

Lionel Messi put the champions 2-1 ahead on the counter-attack only for Bale to level with a sweetly struck first-time finish.

Real’s Ronaldo was substituted at half-time after suffering an ankle sprain while scoring.

This draw felt like a win for Barcelona, who stay 15 points ahead of their arch-rivals despite Roberto’s dismissal.

Champions League finalists Real have now failed to beat Barca in the past four league attempts and their frustrations increased when they were denied a clear penalty after Jordi Alba caught Marcelo.

The tone for another bad-tempered game between these two giants was set when Real refused to give Barca a guard of honour after Ernesto Valverde’s side secured a 25th La Liga title last weekend.

Instead Valverde and his backroom team lined up to applaud the players off the pitch at the end of a match littered with eight yellow cards.

No team in the modern era of La Liga has managed to go through an entire season undefeated yet Barca are now 270 minutes away from achieving that feat.

They still have to negotiate home games against Villarreal and Real Sociedad, along with an away match against Levante, but it will require something special to end their 42-match unbeaten league record stretching 13 months.

Once again there was no shortage of talking points after another fascinating game between Spain’s two most successful teams.

Andres Iniesta received a standing ovation when he was substituted in the second half in his 38th and final Clasico while Ronaldo’s injury, three weeks before Real meet Liverpool in Kiev, is a concern.

Bale was anonymous for long spells and can consider himself fortunate to have still been on the pitch when he equalised.

The Welshman had already escaped yellow cards for hacking at Iniesta’s ankle and a late ugly challenge on Samuel Umtiti before he was eventually cautioned for bringing down substitute Nelson Semedo.

His goal was a sumptuous finish with his left foot which comfortably beat Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

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Messi scored a hat-trick at the Riazor to give Barca an unassailable lead at the top of the table.

Barcelona had led 2-0 with goals from Philippe Coutinho and Messi but Depor bravely fought to 2-2 with goals from Lucas Perez and Emre Colak.

Messi then struck twice in the final 10 minutes to seal the win.

It is the 25th time Barcelona have won La Liga – eight behind the 33 won by rivals Real Madrid.

Coutinho had put Barca ahead with a curling effort and Messi doubled the lead when he volleyed in at the back post following a sublime cross from Luis Suarez – who assisted all of Messi’s goals.

Depor refused to give up through and Arsenal loanee Perez pulled a goal back with a first-time shot before Colak swept past Barca goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen following a fine team move.

Argentina international Messi ensured the title was won with a flourish as he notched his 46th hat-trick for club and country.

The 30-year-old produced two composed finishes from close range to secure the victory and ensure Depor’s relegation.

Messi might be sad to see them go having scored 13 goals at the Riazor, his favourite ground alongside Real Madrid’s Bernaebu.

Valverde delivers the title

There was a degree of scepticism which greeted Barcelona’s decision to appoint ex-Athletic Bilbao boss Valverde in May 2017.

However, the 54-year-old has delivered the Spanish league title in his maiden season above both Madrid clubs.

It is the second piece of silverware in the trophy cabinet at the Nou Camp this season following on from Barca’s emphatic 5-0 victory over Sevilla in the Copa del Rey final.

However, there will be no European glory this season following Barca’s dramatic exit to Roma in the Champions League last month.

Barca conceded a 4-1 first leg quarter-final lead as they lost the second leg 3-0 in Italy.

That will be Valverde’s target next season having seen domestic rivals Real Madrid win the last two European Cups and on course reach the final in Kiev.

The match was the first since midfielder Andres Iniesta announced his decision to leave the Catalan club at the end of the season.

The 33-year-old began the match on the bench after being named among Barcelona’s substitutes by Valverde.

Iniesta’s arrival on the pitch in the 87th minute was greeted by a standing ovation from both sets of fans at the Estadio Riazor.

Next Sunday will be his final chance to play in El Clasico when Real Madrid visit the Nou Camp.

After that there is a home game against Villarreal and a trip to Levante before the curtain is brought down on his Barca career with Real Sociedad the visitors to the Nou Camp on 20 May.

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