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10 months ago
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After picking up two wins in two, Barcelona will be eager to make it three in a row when they take on Athletic Club in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals away at San Mames tomorrow.
Barcelona secured a spot in the cup quarter-finals with a 3-1 win over minnows Unionistas de Salamanca. The confidence within the camp was then boosted further by the 4-2 triumph over Real Betis at the weekend.
And, there is faith within the locker room that a win against Athletic tomorrow could be a big turning point in the season that has had its ups and downs so far.
Ahead of the game, manager Xavi Hernandez appeared in front of the media and discussed various topics, including the returns of Joao Cancelo and Andreas Christensen.
On Athletic Club and the importance of the match
Discussing the challenge that Athletic Club will pose for them tomorrow, Xavi said: “We’re playing for a title against a rival that perhaps we didn’t want. An intense opponent, with a coach we value highly. One of the most in-form teams in the division.
“A brave team, who push you hard, a very complicated scenario but we are prepared. A great game.”
On if tomorrow’s game could be the ‘click’ that Barça are looking for this season, he added: “The click would be to win tomorrow, win the semi-finals and win a title. But yes, above all to play a good game. I think we played very well against Betis, tomorrow will be different, we probably won’t have the ball as much, but it’s time to compete and fight for a title.”
When asked if the game is seen as an important one, he replied: “Yes, it’s a toss-up. It’s the knockout competition, we’re playing for a title, of course.”
On how he sees Athletic Club approaching the game, he added: “We appreciate Valverde, they are very good at pressing, we will have less time to think, very high line, we will have to know how to get out of that pressure. It’s going to be hard, it’s going to be a footballing war.”
Xavi also reserved some praise on Athletic winger Nico Williams, saying: “I think he’s exceptional, quick, with a goal, a player to take into account. He’s in a great moment, we’ll have to help him a lot, he’s difficult in short and long spaces. He’s a great player.”
On the squad and players
Both Cancelo and Christensen are back fit and have been included on the squad list that will travel to San Mames. Welcoming the defensive duo back, the Barcelona boss stated:
“They are fine, they are ready to play. They will have minutes, Joao has no more discomfort, he wants to force, he wants to play. And Chrisenten is the same, he’s doing very well.”
Given the tight schedule and a small squad, Barcelona have been depending on young talents from the academy to help them out. And Xavi insisted that the trend would continue in the games to come, saying:
“Yes, Lamine is a reality, Marc Guiu, Fermín himself, Balde, Pau Cubarsí, we have very prepared young players. I see a very prepared generation. We have a short squad and a complicated financial situation and we will use them.”
There was praise for Cubarsi in particular as Xavi added: “I see him very prepared. He is a player with a great mentality, dividing, setting, great mentality, the second goal came from him. A player with less personality pulls back, he finds Frenkie.”
Xavi also hailed Lamine Yamal as a prodigious talent, as he said: “When you see him train you see that he is an exceptional talent, that he has courage, that he dares, that he has to train. The other day he played one of his best games with the first team. I’m happy, very happy that players of this calibre are coming out of La Masia.”
The manager also backed Inaki Pena to come good in goal, saying: “I see him ready. He’s doing a great job despite conceding goals. Hopefully we can keep a clean sheet.”
On Real Madrid and the refereeing controversy
The Barça boss was then asked about his statements on the refereeing controversy during Real Madrid vs Almeria and how the Spanish capital club had hit back at him. Standing by what he had said, Xavi reiterated:
“I talk about the referees because you asked me. I like to speak out and I reiterate my words. These are the feelings I have had. I like to talk about the game, but you saw and heard it. You analyse it yourselves and I’m sure we all agree. It’s time to talk about football, the news is in Madrid, not here.”
When further pushed on the matter, Xavi insisted that he believed in the referees’ integrity but did not like that they were being put under pressure.
“Yes, I believe in their honesty, but I don’t like the pressure they are under. But the controversy is about the Madrid-Almería match, not about me. I hope it affects the players in a positive way, and that the anger will come out so that we can compete better,” he remarked.
On the video that Real Madrid TV posted targeting him today, Xavi added: “I have always respected Madrid. I don’t like wars, I’m for peace, I respect videos, memes, everything and I take it with humour.”
When asked if he regrets speaking about the match officials, Xavi said: “But I don’t control the press, maybe other people do. And I have told my players that. I don’t have friends in the press. I’m not in the spotlight of controversy: I don’t like it.”
On the team mentality and title race
When quizzed if Barcelona can still win the La Liga title, he replied: “Didn’t you see the celebration against Betis? I’m a positive realist, we have 18 games left, imagine the points we have left. We are not going to throw in the towel.”
Discussing how he manages the psychology and the mentality of his Barcelona players, Xavi added:
“I always tell them that playing for Barça is an opportunity. I transmit it to them in a positive way, we did very well in the game against Betis, even with the way it ended. The way we celebrated as a family, but above all I would highlight the game.”
As was the case this past weekend, Barcelona have been relying on late goals to earn points in the league. In fact, as many as 23 points have been collected thanks to goals in the final phase of the match. Assessing that, Xavi said:
“Physically we are very good and the team has faith. They fight until the end, they have a winning mentality, we believe in what we are doing.”
Xavi also dismissed the possibility of a new player arriving this month, saying: “I see it as very difficult to sign because of the situation we are in. I don’t think there will be anything new in this regard.”
Source: SPORT
