Xavi Hernández had nothing to reproach his men with. Quite the contrary: the coach congratulated the team for their work and their performance on the pitch as soon as the match was over. And that finally the result had not accompanied them, since the tie (1-1) forces Barça to travel to Naples next week with practically no safety net.
As AS has been able to learn, Xavi took advantage of his presence in the locker room to give a short harangue to his players. The coach, seeing that more than one was very affected by not having been able to get the victory, especially a Ferran Torreswho left the field crestfallen and disconsolate, after missing very clear chances, took the opportunity to send a positive message to the squad: “We are in the line we wanted, playing better every day. Be very clear that playing like this, we will win 90% of the time. This match was for a 3-1 minimum. We have had bad luck, but luck is with you one day and not another day, while you have to work on the good game based on work, sacrifice, dedication and commitment. And in that we have been ten. Let’s continue like this!”.
After congratulating the players on their match against Napoli, Xavi made an aside with two players. First with Ferran Torres, one of the most affected. The technician took iron away from his failures in front of goal, “another day you will score; That’s it, nothing happens ”, insisting on the absolute trust of the staff towards his person. The other player he had a brief conversation with was Ousmane Dembelewhom he thanked for his professionalism, going out onto the field in a very difficult situation, with the entire Camp Nou booing him, but without this affecting his performance on the pitch, completing an extraordinary game, overflowing down the right wing, until the point that reversed the initial whistles in general applause by the respectable.
Thus, as much as for some the tie could mean a step backwards, especially in the aspirations of continuing in Europe, for Xavi it is a step forward, which strengthens his project and creates even more expectations with the possibility that important things can still be achieved this year. The next stop: Sunday in Mestalla.
