Barca News
The match of the season. One final, one more, but this one with a lot of money at stake. Heads or tails. Winning meant keeping the flame of the course alive and the confidence to continue fighting for the League . Losing was nothing short of a catastrophe. This is how Barça and Xavi Hernández faced the duel against Naples in the second leg of the Champions League round of 16.
With an avalanche of casualties, among them important players such as Pedri, de Jong, Gavi or Balde. Xavi had to make several decisions. And he showed courage with two underage boys in such a complicated setting and context. But of course, these are two special boys. Unique.
Barça responded in a big way on a night to remember. Four years later, they have reached the quarterfinals of the top European competition . With the teenagers, with the casualties. And with a team that has responded and that has known how to suffer in the low moments and that has finished with a certain calm after scoring 3-1.
HAPPY
“Very happy, we played a great complete game, the team was emptied. We dominated many moments, the team fought. I already said that my players would take a step forward with my decision. After four years among the eight best in Europe” , commented Xavi Hernández.
Regarding the effect of his decision to leave office at the end of the season, he has once again reiterated the result: “People did not believe me, they said that I was going to lose the locker room, that they would not take the step forward. We have received a lot of unfair criticism.” .
“Very good game, the team has been good with and without the ball, aggressive, we have been around excellent. It is not a coincidence, 3-1 against a great rival and the fans have enjoyed it,” he commented about the staging of the table Barcelona fan.
Regarding Cubarsí and his performance, he has once again praised him: “Pau doesn’t get nervous, he has a very calm personality. The release of the ball is brutal, he always finds the free man, he has that pause, that timing.” “Many links have come out with interuiors and tips. It’s a spectacle.”
THE JESTER OF EUROPE?
Asked what he had said to the locker room, Xavi was happy to say: “There is too much pressure on the players. Today it seemed like a heads or tails, an ultimatum, a heads or tails. I told them that no one was going to die. It was even said that we were the jester of the Champions League. Journalists who represent that they are from Barça. “What do we do now with the Champions League jester?” commented the Terrassa coach, once again throwing a barb at the press that follows Barça news.
“You said that if I lost today I would be on the street, that’s what you wrote. If I will continue? Calm down, today we have gone to the quarterfinals. “I already said what I had to say,” added Xavi.
Source: Sport
