Xavi dropped into the La Liga TV studios via hologram link after Barcelona's 1-0 win against Atletico Madrid – and fans are fully on board with the concept.
The Catalan giants capitalised on a rare Real Madrid defeat with a solid performance at the Wanda Metropolitano.
After goals from Yeremy Pino and Gerard Moreno handed Los Blancos their second league defeat of the season on Saturday, a first-half strike from Ousmane Dembele extended Barca's lead at the top of La Liga to three points.
Xavi proceeded to talk up his side's chances as title contenders. "This victory is not just three points, it is a victory that gives us a lot of morale for what's left of La Liga, because we've hit the table to be candidates," the Spaniard said.
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"We had a lot at stake knowing that Real Madrid had lost."
In the aftermath of Sunday's win against Atletico, the former Barcelona midfielder also gave a tactical breakdown of his side's performance when he joined Graham Hunter, Albert Ferrer and Phil Kitromilides in the La Liga TV studio.
As you can see in the footage below, hologram technology was used to display Xavi, who was asked to explain his thought process behind using Gavi and Pedri in midfield, and his decision to use early substitutions.
One fan commented on the clip, saying: "Hologram Xavi has blown my mind before I’ve even had my first coffee of the day," while another wrote: "Brilliant analysis. You don’t get this type of analysis or questions in the Premier League."
A third said: "Hologram tactical interviews with managers/players along with 8K cameras and pitchside reporters with live inputs during games. This is some great production value from the league."
La Liga have taken their football coverage to new levels in recent years, using cutting-edge '8k' cameras to capture the action in spectacular detail.
The league followed in the footsteps of the NFL by increasing their coverage quality, and have earned impressive feedback as a result.
Back in 2021, LaLiga and MEDIAPRO incorporated a new state-of-the-art pitchside camera into their broadcasts, providing viewers with an image quality similar to that of a film or a video game.
It was described as an "ultra-realistic experience that makes them feel like they are actually in the stands or just a few metres away from the players on the field."
Melcior Soler, the director of La Liga’s Audiovisual Department, said: "At La Liga, we are constantly researching cutting-edge innovations and technological solutions that allow us to offer the best audiovisual product."
Would you like to see hologram post-match interviews in the Premier League?
Let us know in the comments.
Topics: La Liga, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid
Jack Kenmare