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7 months ago
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FC Barcelona’s last two matches saw them suffer season-defining defeats in both the Champions League and La Liga, as the imminence of a trophyless season cannot be avoided.
But games remain in the league before the Catalans can fully start preparing for next season. Moreover, Barcelona will still aim to secure a second-place finish in La Liga.
Barça’s upcoming encounter against Valencia gives them the perfect opportunity to start afresh.
Ruben Baraja confesses facing Barcelona will be a tough challenge
Despite Barcelona’s poor form as of late, Valencia manager Ruben Baraja acknowledges Barcelona as a tricky opponent to face, especially on their home soil.
“I always think that all the teams that play against us are going to be at their best, which forces us to always play to the limit, at our best level.
“FC Barcelona are very dominant at home. We have to have that energy to keep us in the game, make them feel uncomfortable and threaten them on the counters,” he said in a press conference via SPORT.
Baraja additionally claimed that the Catalans possess a great deal of quality within their ranks, with players who can turn the game on its head by themselves.
“I hope for a good Barça. There have been moments of the season that have shined. It is a team with tremendous quality in all its lines. They have definitive players who are capable of winning a game in one action.
“It is a very complete team. A major challenge for us. It transmits energy, it has youth and future and I like that. Winning away against FC Barcelona gives you a plus and we are going to go with that mentality,” Baraja stated.
Thoughts on Xavi’s continuity
Xavi officially confirmed his continuity for another season, and thus a lot of attention will be on the Barcelona manager and how his squad performs after this major announcement.
It will be Xavi vs Ruben Baraja on Monday. (Photo by JOSE JORDAN/AFP via Getty Images)When asked about Xavi’s change of heart, Baraja sympathized with Xavi’s decision, claiming his role involves making crucial decisions that impact the team’s success, and the emotional weight can be challenging.
“When you are a coach and also like Xavi of the house, who feels the club and so on, there are emotions that you are not able to control.
“All these types of emotions will have influenced his experience at Barcelona this season due to the decisions he has made, and when you are there, you know the pressure you are under. I understand that certain things are important to be in charge of a team.
“At the time, Xavi may not have felt it, and now he does, but he is a person who has enough responsibility, capacity to know how to make a decision in one direction or another.
Baraja also added that, ultimately, any decision Xavi makes reflects his careful consideration of the best interests of Barcelona.
“If he decides that he is going to continue, it will be because he sees the project and the support of the team. I understand any decision he makes and I consider him a person qualified to always make the best decision in one direction or another,” he claimed.
How he expects Barcelona to approach the game
The Valencia manager argued that locking horns with Barcelona is exceptionally challenging due to their control of possession and overall quality.
“Playing against Barcelona always has a very high degree of difficulty because they subdue you, they have a lot of ball, quality… we have to be able to maintain concentration, that spirit that the team is having, and then the response after a defeat.
“It is always important to see how they react to difficulty. We have always gotten up after a blow and we have competed. We will try to do things well to compete with our best version against Barcelona,” Baraja exclaimed.
