After being very angry after the draw in Getafe, where he ended up expelled and outraged by the referee's performance, Xavi Hernández appeared before the press this Friday much more relaxed and focused on the League match against Cádiz on Sunday, the first official of Barça at the Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium. The Blaugrana coach described the Andalusian team as "rocky" and combed the rest of the club's news.
"I don't want to generate more controversy. Losses, victories and draws last me 24 hours, my anger has passed and I am focused on what I can control, which is the team. Accept the sanction (of two games) and nothing more. Trying not to make it happen again. I may have to control myself more in my technical area", explained the coach, who valued the ability of the people from Cádiz to do damage "from set pieces, against the ball, pressing up..." . "Sergio González is a good coach," he added.
The man from Egar also had praise for Mateu Alemany, who on Thursday left to be the football director, and was no less with his successor, Deco, with whom he has a "very good harmony". "We will do a good job. I don't get along with him as has been said. It's false. Debate settled," Xavi said about his relationship with the Portuguese, who highlighted his "personality and leadership" as well as his knowledge of the market . "I've known it for days. It's a decision made by the club. We've been working very well every day. Mateu's work is extraordinary," he explained about the fact that he was responsible for the club's football and his sudden departure.
Xavi's speech only changed when he had to talk about the "demanding calendar" to which the players are subjected, which causes more and more injuries. "Guardiola complained and I'm with him. They think more about the business. The players have all the strength to change the situation," he said before lamenting the umpteenth loss due to a muscle tear by Ronald Araújo: "We do prevention work to avoid injuries. He is injured in an eleven-on-eleven match in training, in a race. It could have happened to him in Getafe and it didn't happen to him. Many times it's inevitable. We hope he's recovered after the national team break". Instead, he explained that Íñigo Martínez, who has not yet debuted due to plantar fasciitis, could rejoin the group next week.
In the chapter on entries and exits, the coach did not want to talk about "names", as is usual, although he was even more blunt when asked about a possible departure for Ansu Fati. "Is it a joke", he said about a possible transfer of the striker to Real Madrid, as the white coach, Carlo Ancelotti, had been raised minutes before at the press conference prior to the match against Almería. "Ansu is the club's heritage. He is present and future," said the man from Terrassa.
"We will sign what the economic issue and fair play allow us. We will see. We have a very difficult situation to control. We are trying to manage it in the best possible way. This is the scenario unfortunately", he resigned himself on the little room for maneuver of the club in terms of transfers, although he was optimistic about the upcoming registrations of Marcos Alonso and Iñaki Peña. "The sports management knows exactly what we need," he insisted. It was clearer when he spoke of his future at the club: "From 0 to 10, the negotiation of my renewal is at 10."
Despite winning the League last season, Xavi was also self-critical of his work and assured that "the objective this season is to play better". "Choose better. Don't get to the wing and play it the first time. Be patient. It's a process that takes time. Last year we played some games well and others not. Our ideal game is the Super Cup victory against Madrid".
In addition to looking to the future, Xavi also looked back to remember his debut in the Barça first team just 25 years ago, on August 18, 1998 against Mallorca: "I remember I was very scared. The day before I had a feeling that now I don't see in young people. I don't see it in Fermín, Lamine...". After that meeting, there were another 766 games with the Blaugrana shirt and 25 titles.
