[Sport] Xavi: "We have to show more hunger, more faith and more character"

[#Wittels-]

The Barça coach did not hide his anger after Barcelona's second consecutive defeat at the Camp Nou

Xavi, during the Barcelona match against Cádiz at the Camp Nou.

 

Barcelona went out after the March break. Until then, Xavi Hernández's team did not stop growing, in terms of spirit and football. In fact, he even thrashed Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu just before his players left with their national teams. “We have returned”, celebrated, at that time, the azulgrana. "When you win 0-4 at the Bernabéu and with those feelings, it's logical that you say things like Barça is back", reflected Xavi Hernández. Since then, the Barça team suffered to beat Sevilla (1-0) and Levante (2-3), drew against Eintracht (1-1) and added two consecutive defeats: also against the German team in the second leg of the quarterfinals of the Europa League (2-3) and this Sunday against Cádiz (0-1). “We are not in a bad situation, we have improved compared to when we arrived, but we have already had two or three games in which we have not found our best level and we hoped to be better and even be able to fight for a title”, added the Barça coach.

 

It was difficult for Xavi to hide his anger and he insisted on self-criticism. "Me first, as responsible," he said. And he added: “We have to say things to our faces, this is Barça and we have to do many more things. At home we have to show more hunger, more faith, more character, this was a final and we didn't play it as such. I am very angry". Barcelona, in any case, maintains the second position in the table. He has 60 points, the same as Sevilla (third) and Atlético (fourth), all 15 points behind the leader, Real Madrid. Barça has a pending match against Rayo, which will be played next Sunday. In any case, with seven games to go (six to go) to close the League, Barça will visit Real Sociedad (sixth, 55 points) and Betis (fifth, 57).

 

"We have to regroup and think about Thursday, we continue with the goal of the Champions League intact and we have to continue, it's been a very bad week for us, but we have to react as soon as possible", explained Xavi. Although he tried 18 shots, Barcelona had a hard time finding Ledesma's goal (six between the three sticks). Cádiz, meanwhile, finished six shots and four on target. "We can't grant so many chances and we must take advantage of the ones we generate, there are seven finals left and we have to grit our teeth and improve", said Xavi. “But”, directed the Barcelona coach; "We have not failed in attitude, the players want to, but I see a problem of faith, of putting everything to take advantage of an opportunity, Cádiz defended today as if it were the last play all the time and that is what we have to match".

 

It is the first victory for Cádiz at the Camp Nou. “It is a pride to enter the history of Cádiz. Football has these things and that's why it's so wonderful”, underlined Lucas Pérez. It was also Sergio González's first win as coach against Barcelona. “We removed a thorn stuck. Beyond being parakeet or not, it tastes very good. But for our interests. It is a victory that goes up like a rocket”, explained Sergio. After the victory against Barça, the team from Cadiz left the relegation zone behind.

Shouts against Laporta after the embarrassment against Eintracht

 

Without the Gol Norte initiative, the Camp Nou lost its main voice. Consequence of the sporting and social embarrassment that was Barça against Eintracht, when the team was dropped from the Europa League in a Camp Nou with more than 30,000 German fans in the stands. As a protest measure, the Animation Tier did not attend Cádiz. An emptiness that, however, did not silence the stadium. "It's a shame that the Animation Stand didn't come, we need everyone, today the public has risen to the occasion", stressed Xavi.

Half an hour before the duel began, a hundred fans gathered in front of the doors that give access to the box to show their anger. "Barça yes, Laporta no!" or “Laporta liar, Laporta trickster!” were some of the cries that were heard. A complaint that the Barça president will try to appease this Tuesday at noon, as he will appear to explain what happened with the tickets for the match against Eintracht. “The necessary explanations will be given. An in-depth investigation has been carried out and the necessary measures will be taken so that a sporting event does not happen again”, resolved the Barça director, Mateu Alemany, while registering that from now on tickets for European matches will be nominative.

 

With the ball in play, the Animation Stand made its warning effective, making the presence of the security guards in the area sterile. But the 57,495 spectators —the fourth worst inning of the Xavi era— who attended always had the “Barça Barça!” in the mouth, generous with Dembélé's best moves and goading after Cádiz's goal, also annoyed with the referee and hopeful with the appearance of Luuk de Jong, this time without a goal.

 

Link: https://elpais.com/deportes/2022-04-18/xavi-hay-que-mostrar-mas-hambre-mas-fe-y-mas-caracter.html