Xavi: "We have had the most difficult rival... again"

Barcelona will play Manchester United in the round of 16 of the Europa League.

Thomas Osborne
Thomas Osborne
07 November 2022 Monday 06:34
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Xavi: "We have had the most difficult rival... again"

Barcelona will play Manchester United in the round of 16 of the Europa League. With a touch of irony, Xavi recalled that in the Champions League the Blaugrana also had the most difficult group. “You point out the worst possible rival and he is the one who touches you. We will have to compete against a historic rival that has great individuals who play very well with Ten Hag”. True to his optimism, Xavi pointed out that “perhaps the players will be more motivated against a stronger rival on paper”.

Among them will be Cristiano Ronaldo, a footballer in low hours who this year has three goals for United. One in the Premier and two before the Sheriff. “I think he is a great player. He has marked a great era and can still make a difference. But not only him. United have great individuals. Ten Hag has done a great job. And like us they really need to win both games”, pointed out Xavi.

In a season in which Barcelona has fallen from the top continental competition and is one point behind Real Madrid in the League, the Blaugrana coach flees from favoritism "because I leave that to the bookmakers and journalists ” and because “every team has the obligation to win”. He did recall that Barça “has never won the Europa League, so we're going for it”.

This week marks one year since the arrival of Xavi Hernández to the Blaugrana bench. “There has been everything”, Xavi acknowledged that he prefers to write the grades at the end of the course. “I think that the first half year was complicated by the situation, but we met the goal of qualifying for the Champions League. This year, despite falling, we are doing well in the League. I think it's a positive balance because we have an identity and a game model. There has been significant growth and it is what I am left with. The results will dictate a clear sentence, but I want to think that we are on the right track”, he added.

With their sights set on the World Cup that starts in two weeks in Qatar, Barcelona will play their last game before the World Cup match in Pamplona against Osasuna. A rival with hardly any World Cup players. Xavi doesn't want distractions. “If you don't play 100 percent thinking that you can break and afraid of going into shock, that's when you can get injured. Pamplona is always a complicated square. It requires all the ability and concentration in the world, it is an intense opponent who does things well. At home they are strong. We arrived in good shape, in good dynamics and it is important to finish this first part of the season well to show that we will fight for the League until the end”, he warned. Gerard Piqué will travel to Pamplona in what will surely be his last game as a Blaugrana after the farewell he received at the Camp Nou in the Barça win against Almería.

The coach still hasn't recovered any of the five injured players – Koundé, Memphis, Sergi Roberto, Kessié and Araújo-. Regarding the latter's recovery and his possible call-up with Uruguay to play in the World Cup, Xavi assured that “the player is in charge, if he tells you that he's fine, he's fine. It is talking about it with the doctors of the Federation and with ours. There is a good relationship. We will decide together. The important thing is that he recovers well, for Uruguay and for us”, he warned.

Regarding internationals like Memphis, who on September 22 suffered an elongation in his left thigh and it was estimated that he could return in about 20 days, Xavi said that "he still has discomfort." As for Koundé, who is still recovering from a muscular strain he suffered in Mestalla, Xavi pointed out that “there are no doubts about his commitment. He has forced and wanted to be. No doubts".

And after Pamplona? The coach will meet with the sports field to plan and deal with the transfer market. The departure of Gerard Piqué opened the door for Barcelona to sign another central defender. But he will not miss the World Cup either. “It will be something historic for the country. I will go to Qatar for a few days to watch a Spanish match”.