Xavi sets an objective for himself before Barcelona face Napoli – report

After enjoying an excellent run in La Liga, a disappointing result against Athletic Club coupled with injuries to two key players has put Barcelona back to square one.

Morale remains low within the Barça camp, especially following the injuries to Pedri and Frenkie de Jong. In addition, there is very little hope that the club can stage a late fight for the league title.

This has put Xavi Hernandez under immense pressure. Reports, in fact, indicate that Barcelona might consider sacking the Spaniard if the team fails to advance to the quarterfinal stage of the UEFA Champions League by beating Napoli next week.

Xavi sets a key objective ahead of Napoli tie

Amid mounting pressure, Barcelona coach Xavi has set a key objective for himself, as he looks to rally the squad and help them regain some confidence and momentum heading into the Napoli game next week.

According to Diario SPORT, Xavi is particularly keen on restoring the morale of the team, which has been badly hit by the injuries of Pedri and de Jong.

A lot at stake for Xavi heading into the Napoli game (Photo by CARLO HERMANN/AFP via Getty Images)

Xavi is aware that Barcelona must regain confidence as soon as possible if the Catalans are to have any chance of securing a victory over Napoli.

Barça will be heading into this game on the back of a 1-1 draw in the first leg, meaning a victory will be paramount if they are to advance to the next round.

Over €10 million at stake

In addition to prestige, what makes the Napoli tie particularly important for Barcelona is that advancing to the next round could help the club bring in a fresh revenue of €10.6 million.

That is quite a significant sum under the current economic circumstances and could go a long way in aiding Barcelona’s efforts to revamp the squad in the coming summer.