Laporta’s straightforward message to Barcelona players ahead of Real Madrid clash

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has relayed the importance of the upcoming El Clasico against Real Madrid, saying that his team must win on Sunday.

“We must go and win on Sunday,” said the Barcelona president as quoted by Victor Navarro.

Following a disappointing exit from the UEFA Champions League at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain, the season is all but over for Barcelona, unless a miracle happens.

But even for that, the team from Catalonia needs to win on Sunday to close the gap to five points and then hope for Real Madrid to drop more points towards the end of the season.

Considering that Real Madrid are now in the Champions League semi-final, going against Bayern Munich, there is a slight possibility that fatigue might kick in and cause a late collapse.

Barcelona need to regroup

Xavi had devised plans for El Clasico way ahead before Barcelona even took on PSG. However, the bitter disappointment of being knocked out of the Champions League forced a change in plans.

Barcelona take on Real Madrid on Sunday. (Photo by PAU BARRENA/AFP via Getty Images)

Recognizing the need for his team to decompress from the intense pressure and negativity, the coach decided to hit pause.

Following the defeat, a scheduled training session was met with an unusually tense and unproductive atmosphere.

Acknowledging the effect this discord was having on team morale, Xavi opted to grant the squad a much-needed day off on Thursday, scrapping the planned training session.

Although there were a few players who carried out their sessions, the team was given a day off with the idea that upon arriving tomorrow, everyone will have a fresh perspective and more importantly, a positive outlook towards the Clasico.

Xavi understands that only a win can bring him closer to defending the La Liga title, which is why having a strong mentality is of utmost importance.