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Jack Wilshere's Incredible Answer When Asked What He Learned Playing Against Xavi And Andres Iniesta

Jack Wilshere's Incredible Answer When Asked What He Learned Playing Against Xavi And Andres Iniesta

Jack Wilshere put on a masterclass against Barcelona back in 2011.

Josh Lawless

Josh Lawless

Jack Wilshere joked he didn't learn anything from playing against Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets as there were in his pocket.

A 19-year-old Wilshere announced his arrival on the biggest stage when he dropped a masterclass against Barcelona's dream midfield in the first leg of the Champions League round of 16 clash.

The young midfielder completely ran the game against one of the greatest sides in football history. Pep Guardiola described him as "a top player" after the 2-1 defeat, while Xavi said the England international "played a fantastic game".

Years on from the masterclass, Wilshere was asked what he took from the whole occasion in a Q&A he hosted on his Twitter and Gunners fans absolutely loved his response.


At the time however, Wilshere initially wasn't aware of just how good he was against that season's Champions League and it was only afterwards that he realised how impressive his showing was.

"To be honest, I didn't even think I was [playing that well]," the midfielder told Arsenal's In Lockdown podcast back in May.

"I thought I was doing alright. When we got to half-time, I had done a few good things in the first half but I felt like they had dominated.

"They had a way of making you feel like you were running around in circles for no reason. They used to make these little passes in midfield and you didn't know whether to press or to hold back and wait for them.

"It wasn't until after the game actually [that I realised how well I'd played]. It was Paul Akers, the kit man, who was like, 'You just had Xavi and Iniesta in your pocket'. I said, 'no chance' and he was like, 'I'm telling you'. Then I got man of the match."

Wilshere had been without a club since October following his release by West Ham but has now returned to Bournemouth in the Championship.

The 29-year-old spent the 2016/17 campaign on loan with the Cherries.

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Topics: Football News, FC Barcelona, Football, Jack Wilshere, Arsenal