Xavi Hernandez defended Barcelona‘s season and the progress made beneath him within the face of criticism following Wednesday’s Copa del Rey semifinal defeat to Actual Madrid.
Barca adopted up Champions League and Europa League exits with a 4-0 loss to Madrid at Spotify Camp Nou to lift doubts concerning the group’s potential to compete on the largest events.
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Nonetheless, with the Spanish Tremendous Cup already gained — Barca beat Madrid within the closing — and the prospect to maneuver 15 factors clear on the prime of LaLiga with victory over Girona on Monday, Xavi stated individuals are minimising the Blaugrana’s success.
“We’re speaking about profitable LaLiga,” Xavi stated in a information convention on Sunday. “I do not get it. Profitable LaLiga is the bee’s knees. We’ve got gained 5 Champions Leagues in our historical past, which is de facto good, however it’s demanded that we win it?
“Profitable LaLiga brings stability. I keep in mind [former Madrid coach Zinedine] Zidane stated after profitable the Champions League that the target was to win LaLiga. From the within, we worth actually extremely what we’re doing in opposition to a very robust Madrid. Profitable LaLiga is being minimised when for us it will likely be extraordinary.”
Barca have been ninth in LaLiga when Xavi took the job on the finish of 2021 and gained only one Copa del Rey within the three seasons previous to this time period, whereas not lifting the league title since 2019.
“We worth the place we got here from and the place we’re, particularly in opposition to an ideal group like Madrid, the LaLiga and Champions League holders,” Xavi added. “I can not management the way it’s seen from the skin.”
Madrid’s defeat to Villarreal on Saturday means Barca can additional lengthen their lead on the prime once they host Girona at Camp Nou, though Xavi stated the title isn’t wrapped up but and acknowledged there’s nonetheless loads of room for enchancment.
“We need to be champions and Monday might be one other step in direction of that,” he stated. “It is an enormous probability to go 15 factors clear with 30 to play for and we won’t slip up.
“We’re having a rare league season. We’ve got already gained the Tremendous Cup and we need to finish the marketing campaign with two trophies. We competed till the semifinal within the Copa. It is true we did not do effectively in Europe, however we’re nonetheless constructing.
“We lack maturity at instances within the so-called massive video games, however we’re a younger group. We’re in development and we are going to mature and develop on the again of these disappointments.
“The angle is constructive and we’re determined to win LaLiga. It isn’t gained but as a result of we nonetheless want 16 factors. Once you win LaLiga you have fun it, however that is not the case but. Monday is one other take a look at of how we react [after losing to Madrid] and to get three important factors.”
Barca will as soon as once more be with out the injured quartet of Andreas Christensen, Frenkie de Jong, Pedri and Ousmane Dembele in opposition to Girona. Kids Marc Casado, Angel Alarcon, Estanis Pedrola and Aleix Garrido proceed with the primary group because of this.