Cazorla: Replacing Xavi impossible

The Arsenal star says being
compared to the Barcelona star is a
huge compliment but feels that the
33-year-old is a one-off as a player
Arsenal midfielder Santi Cazorla says that
it will be impossible to replace Xavi in the
Spain set-up.
The 33-year-old has been a permanent
fixture in the Roja squad since making his
debut in 2000, featuring in six major
tournaments.
Cazorla, meanwhile, has been a revelation
for the Gunners since moving to the
Emirates from Malaga in the summer of
2012, but feels that he cannot replace
the Barcelona star.
"Replacing Xavi is not difficult, it's
impossible, because he is a one-off. Just
to be compared with him is a compliment
but Xavi is unique and there will be no
substitute," he told El Pais.
"What I think is the future of Spain is
assured because there are very young
people, like [Juan] Mata, [Sergio]
Busquets and others that are coming
through like Alberto Moreno, [Marc]
Bartra, Isco, at an extraordinary level.
"The important thing is knowing that he
has taken up to three titles and knowing
that it's not easy. We have gone from the
stage of seeing elimination in the quarter-
finals as normal, and now the problem is
that it seems that it's a given that we will
play in another World Cup final. What this
ground has done is impressive.
"The English are obsessed with Barcelona
and Real Madrid, but they ask me a lot
about Iniesta and Ramos, about the
players in the national team, and
something I think that not just the fans,
also the players, at least in the Arsenal
dressing room, admire the national team
to the point that for a lot of people our
play is the reference point."
Arsenal have enjoyed an excellent start to
the season and currently top the Premier
League table and Cazorla feels that
England's top flight is far more open than
La Liga.
"Yes, because it's more open. The
Spanish league is bipolar, England is more
fun. That does not mean that the league
is nicer to play in, it's not that it's better
or worse, it's something different.
"It's going well for me at the moment,
I'm learning new things and that makes
you grow."