FC Barcelona Foundation brings together Xavi Hernández and Bruno, the boy who dressed up as the coach for Carnival

A 12 year old Barça fan, Bruno suffers from a serious illness that means he has to use an electric wheelchair. During the recent 'Carnival' celebration, the youngster dressed up as 'Xavi in a press conference'. Bruno, with the help of his family, set up the elaborate costume around his wheelchair, complete with microphones, advertising and much more. The costume picked up lot of attention online and then went viral to highlight a more inclusive celebration of Carnival. 

The young Barça supporter was invited to the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper along with his parents to see the press room, the inspiration for his costume. What he did not expect was a visit from the coach himself, Xavi Hernández. It was an emotional moment with smiles and hugs and a Bruno who showed himself to be an expert on the team's current situation. 

It was an emotional experience for both, a dream come true for the young boy and a special moment for the Barça coach, who was well aware of the story and more than happy to meet his impersonator. 

The two chatted for while, Bruno grilling Xavi with questions as if it were indeed a press conference. There were more surprises to come when Xavi said to Bruno - "look, come with me now and you will see the lads." And that is how it was. Xavi took Bruno to the area reserved for the first team at the Ciutat Esportiva and the youngster enjoyed the opportunity to meet his heroes. Marc Guiu, Frenkie de Jong, Oriol Romeu, João Félix, Lamine Yamal, Marcos Alonso, Ferran Torres, Pau Cubarsí, Gavi and Lewandowski were there to greet the youngster, and were moved by Bruno's spirit and kind nature. 

For Bruno, his dream had come true - meeting Barça coach Xavi Hernández face to face. The meeting came as a part of the Emotional Welfare programme at the FC Barcelona Foundation, namely the “Il·lusions” project, which aims to provide positive experiences for children affected by serious illnesses via exclusive contact with the FC Barcelona players. 

Bruno's passion for football has led him to make his debut as a player in a team for wheelchair users in Barcelona, PowerchairFC.