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10 months ago
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Barcelona will hope to bounce back to winning ways as they take on Celta Vigo away from home before travelling to Italy to face off against Napoli in the Champions League round of 16.
With the team morale running low, Xavi will hope back-to-back away wins helps Barcelona ahead of the final third of the season.
“Tomorrow we have an opponent that is one of the best prepared tactically. I think Celta deserve many more points than they have,” Xavi said about Celta Vigo during his pre-game press conference, as quoted by Mundo Deportivo.
“Rafa Benítez is a great coach and the team is very clear about things. Away from home things are going better for us than at home.”
I think we concede too many goals and mistakes in defence and in pressing. It’s one of the key points where we don’t compete like last year. We are looking for solutions and Christensen is now playing as a pivot and there are four midfielders. We have to improve a lot in defence.”
Soon after this, Xavi started answering the bigger questions, starting with his departure and replacement. Barcelona have already made the shortlist, but who does the coach himself think should take charge now?
“It’s a decision [leaving the club] I make for the good of the club. I have always put the club before myself. I see it as normal, but it doesn’t matter too much to me. There is still La Liga and the Champions League to compete for.”
“Candidates to replace me? We can’t control it and that’s normal. I see the dressing room training very well and united. We are united with the President and Deco. The message from inside is one of unity, calm and work.”
And of course, the biggest talking point of the week, Kylian Mbappe’s decision to leave PSG at the end of the season on a free transfer. He will likely join Real Madrid, which seems to have been inevitable for the Frenchman.
I don’t have much to say. What has become official is that Mbappé is leaving PSG, but our situation is different. We have to finish the season well, we have the Champions League tie. I can’t answer you,” he said.
“Don’t ask me any more questions about Mbappé please. I don’t think I should speak about him.”
Recently, Frenkie de Jong has been linked with an exit from Barcelona, with the club hopping to raise at least €100 million through departure this summer with the intention of buying a few players.
“Frenkie is a very important player and he is happy at the club. This is not the time to talk about this. There are four months of the season left and we are not talking about departures. We are thinking about La Liga and the Champions League.”
“Frenkie had some good games and some not so good games, like the whole team. We have lacked consistency and regularity. We all have to take a step forward,” he added about the Dutchman.
Another player linked that recently got linked with an exit is Gavi, with reports claiming that PSG will be circling him in the upcoming summer transfer window.
“Gavi must stay. For me there is no colour. Gavi has to be the Barça of the future,” Xavi said about the youngster.
Xavi also provided updates on players who are currently sidelined with injury, starting with Oriol Romeu and Sergi Roberto, both of whom were expected to be back to face Celta Vigo.
“They are both still struggling with discomfort and are a step away from returning. If not tomorrow, it will be against Napoli.”
“Alonso is improving. He’s a player who would have had a lot of minutes with Balde out. We hope to have him soon,” Xavi said about Marcos Alonso, who has been out for a couple of months with back problems.
The coach was asked to comment on Robert Lewandowski’s comments, where he claimed that they can still win something this season even though it is difficult.
“I’ve seen that he hates to lose, he has extraordinary commitment and involvement. He cares a lot when we lose, then we’ll compete as far as we go. The team’s reaction is one of being annoyed. We want to win and I have this feeling. If I didn’t, I would make drastic decisions. I think we are in time, I want to keep thinking positive.”
