The FC Barcelona coach is confident of starting the comeback in the derby against Espanyol: “We cannot fail, we have emergencies”
BARCELONA, 19 Nov. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The FC Barcelona coach, Xavi Hernández, declared himself “less nervous than when he was a footballer” before his debut this Saturday (9:00 p.m.) on the Blaugrana bench in the derby against RCD Espanyol at the Camp Nou, although he stressed that the team cannot “fail” because it has the “urgency” to win again.
“We have tried to apply our ideas and analyze Espanyol. We have not had so many days to work together, but the idea is clear. It is a matter of attitude, of effort and, from there, talent has to emerge. We have to be a team and start winning. The Camp Nou has to be a fortress, “he said at a press conference.
Xavi Hernández confessed that in recent days they have worked a lot on the psychological aspect. “We have to control our nerves. I have told my players that I trust them. I am happy with what I have seen in training: intensity, rhythm … we have talent. We have to have that positivity in the club. defend with results starting tomorrow, “he said.
Xavi’s ‘new Barca’ philosophy is linked to the style of what was one of the best midfielders in the world. “We will try to have the ball, create chances in attack and not speculate, play in the opposite field. This way it is easier to get results. We have urgencies in qualifying, and we cannot fail, we must transmit that urgency but without putting pressure on the players. We are restarting a project, “he stressed.
Although he has not yet decided which eleven he will line up against the ‘perico’ team, Hernández did not rule out “some surprises” with the team’s players. “My feelings are good with the youngsters. We don’t even have Ansu, Dembele, Martin, Kun … We will have to pull young people, who must be prepared. This afternoon there is a training session and at night we will decide,” he said.
Espanyol is, according to him, a group “very well worked” by Vicente Moreno. “He can pressure you high, in a low block, he defends well, he is supportive, able to come out quickly in the transition, he is good at strategy and has physical power. He is very rich in many things. It will be a complicated, difficult game with a lot of tension “, he analyzed.
“NO MUST BE A SERGEANT”
The Barça coach downplayed his statements about the rules that his pupils must follow. “We all have life outside of football. It is a coexistence regulation that is fundamental for a group. I have not even had to be a sergeant or anything. It is a matter of order rather than discipline. When we have had these regulations we have gone Well. We are a ‘pineapple’, a family and that’s what it’s all about. You don’t have to shout or be a sergeant at all, “he stressed.
In his opinion, the signing of Brazilian full-back Dani Alves “is going to add up” on all levels. “He is positive, a winner and transmits character. He has a soul. We have seen him play in his last games and he is very well physically. He is a spectacular footballer and associatively he is one of the best I have seen in my football career. we can play until January, “he lamented.
He does not know when the ‘Xavi stamp’ will be noticed in the Barça game, although he is confident that he will already leave his mark since this derby. “I do not know. It is unknown. It depends on me, the ‘staff’. This week we have been very heavy with individual and collective talks. I hope that tomorrow we can see things. Our way is to play football well, not speculate, have chances … but you are going to value us by the result, “he summarized.
Before his debut in the Barça bench, he said he was “very calm.” “I am positive, happy, excited, less nervous than when I was a footballer. The most difficult thing is being a footballer and doing things on the field. I am calm and confident that things can go well. Seeing the team train, the sensations are very good” , he reiterated.
The surprise that has been taken in the first sessions has been the “talent” of the squad, and he confessed that the players ‘from the house’ are especially “important” because, when things go wrong, they have to “pull the car” .
“They want to recover results and feelings; we are all in the same boat and we must all pull the car. We must help young people so that they do not feel the pressure. The pressure is now for the ‘staff’, not for the players”, he pointed.
“BARCELONA HAS TO FIGHT FOR TITLES”
With the course already started and ranked ninth eleven points behind the leader, Real Sociedad, confessed that the horizon is “to be winning” and that Barça is not “in the best position”. “The objective is to be positive and to go climbing positions. Barcelona has to be fighting for the titles. It is not the position it deserves, it has to fight for the title and we will see how far we get,” he commented.
The international Gavi, the best of Luis Enrique’s in the key match to achieve the pass to Qatar 2022 of Spain in La Cartuja, defined him as a “good wild card”, “versatile” and of “present and future”, as well as he hopes to recover the best version of Luuk and Frenkie de Jong, Memphis Depay and Philippe Coutinho.
“All footballers fit me. They start from scratch and we need them all and more with so much injured. They all have to be important and be prepared to play,” he said.
He admitted that facing Espanyol is an “extra” for the motivation to play a derby, that when you win it “you come out stronger”, and he hopes that he will have to manage the defeat “later than soon”. “Let’s hope it takes a long time to arrive. I think about winning tomorrow, on the three points. If defeat comes, it should come as late as possible,” he insisted.
He appealed to the culé fans to support their players. “We are going to give everything. For attitude it will not be. We need them. Come, help, applaud. If they are as dedicated as in my presentation, that’s enough. We will try to make them happy watching the team’s game,” he said. .
On the other hand, he did not rule out that the workforce will be strengthened in the winter market. “There are many days left. We are going to see the performance of the players in this month and a half that remains. We are in total harmony with Mateo, Jordi and the president and we will decide in a month and a half,” he postponed.
Regarding the near future, he sent out a positive message. “I think we are going to go well. It is not a professional issue, it is sentimental. I am from Barça and I want things to work out. I am going to leave my life for this to work. We owe ourselves to many people and we cannot fail them. the least, in values, attitude, sacrifice and respect. The public should feel proud of the team even when we don’t win, “he said.