The Culé coach assures that going to the Bernabéu motivates him “a lot” and that a victory at the eternal rival at home “would go very well to gain confidence”
“Real Madrid is the favourite, because they are champions of the Champions League and the League. In addition, it comes at a good time, regardless of what happened in the Super Cup,” Xavi Hernández assured on Wednesday. The coach of Culé wanted to take the pressure off his team by passing the hot potato to the eternal rival after two setbacks in row that set off all the alarms at the Barça team.
Despite these poor results and the size of the rival, Xavi has not thought about changing his team’s style ahead of the classic. “We approach it the same way we always do against Real Madrid. He is a tough rival, who sometimes doesn’t dominate you but is in your goal with a switch and two touches. We are going out to win and show our personality. is a chance to win another title,” he said.
To win the cup, Barça will have to overcome capital losses in the culé kit, such as Pedri, Dembélé and Lewandowski, three absences that should not be an excuse for Xavi. “We have significant losses, but we can compete. More than ever, we need to be a team in defense, attack and strategy. We need to have the ball, have personality and minimize losses. We have to use our game model, like in the Super Cup,” he said in this regard, although he acknowledged that in Pedri’s case it is a “very sensitive loss”.
Those who have to make up for these absences could be Ferran Torres and Ansu Fati, two players who played minor roles until now and who have to appear on a big stage. In the former case, Xavi assures that “you have to give him confidence” and that “he can make a difference in a team like Barça”, while in the latter case he believes that “it must be important for the team” and that he “feels happy and motivated” after overcoming his physical issues.
Another element that can mark the clash with the eternal rival is the pressure of playing a draw at the Santiago Bernabéu, a habitat that can be decisive, but which Xavi prefers not to think about. «I go with enthusiasm and desire because it motivates me a lot to go to the Bernabéu. I would like to play and have the ball in midfield. Winning there is a very nice feeling. Let’s think positive. We have been fighting well so far, we are in an ideal and privileged situation to win titles. It can be twisted, but we are working“he added.
Finally, Xavi wanted to estimate what it would mean to win at the Bernabéu. “Everything will mark the season. Whether we win or not, it will score, because here it scores every day. It would be very good for us to gain confidence,” he concluded.
Source: La Verdad
I am Shawn Partain, a journalist and content creator working for the Today Times Live. I specialize in sports journalism, writing articles that cover major sporting events and news stories. With a passion for storytelling and an eye for detail, I strive to be accurate and insightful in my work.
