“We were extraordinary without the ball in El Clásico”
MADRID, 4 Mar. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The coach of FC Barcelona, Xavi Hernández, has ensured that in the Copa del Rey victory against Real Madrid they were “extraordinary without the ball”, despite the fact that it was not the goal, and has insisted that the Barça club is ” the most difficult in the world”, since “you have to win and convince”, and he hopes that the team will take advantage of this “blow of morale and confidence” against Valencia this Sunday.
“I see that there has been a stir. Barça is the most difficult club in the world; you beat Madrid 0-1 and it seems that it is not convincing, when if it were the other way around it would be a national holiday. It is the most difficult club in the world, I said it last year past and hosts fell on me like a piano. At Barça you have to win and convince, and also have 70% possession and generate 17 and the opposite three”, he declared at a press conference.
In this sense, he recalled that the rival was “current champion of the ‘Champions’ and LaLiga”. “When they press you behind it is difficult to have possession; how do you have possession if you don’t have a free man? It’s understanding football. Talking about possession when they make you man to man is absurd. We do not stand in our own area with a block low, Madrid put us, the rival leads you to these situations,” he said.
However, he recognized that, although it was not the objective, they were “extraordinary” in the game without the ball. “From within we did an analysis: Madrid demanded of us, they submitted us in many moments… We always want to defend with the ball and have long possessions and we didn’t achieve it. Sometimes the big teams can submit you. We are not looking for 35% possession, We’re looking for 60 or 70% possession. We also work defensively without the ball, and we were extraordinary there. It’s not the match or the scenario we’re looking for, we’re looking to be dominant, long possessions, maintain and generate things with the ball. We haven’t dominated the I play with the ball, but without the ball,” he said.
“We trained what was most significant for the concept of the game we have. Only in one game have we not had control of the game since I am the Barcelona coach. Doing an analysis for one game I think is exaggerated. We were not good with the ball, We didn’t know how to get out of Madrid’s high pressure, we didn’t have high ball circulations… We have to improve with the ball, but without the ball we were extraordinary, and that’s also important,” he continued.
Thus, he insisted that at Barça “in addition to winning you have to convince, it’s not just worth winning”. “We have a very clear idea of the game that when it doesn’t happen, even winning, people are not as satisfied. We have a certain advantage in the Cup semifinal, but it is true that I was more satisfied on the day of the Super Cup. I like to win and be more protagonist in the game, but when they pressure you high and well, with Rüdiger and Militao winning duels, it is very difficult to leave. It is the most difficult club in the world, without any doubt”, he expressed.
On the other hand, the Catalan coach acknowledged that the victory against the soft box “is a blow to morale and confidence” and must “transfer it to another competition.” “I hope the game in Almería will serve us as an experience, we must go out with the necessary intensity. It is a golden opportunity for us to get within ten points while waiting for what Madrid does next with Betis. We already failed that day, we can’t lose points”, he stated about last week’s defeat against the Andalusians.
“I prefer to play before and win. We have to focus on Valencia, which will be a very difficult game, they risk their lives. We are the ones in the best situation and we depend on ourselves,” he continued, before talking about Rubén’s work Deck of cards. “‘Pipo’ Baraja is a great teammate and a great footballer who made a difference in the great Valencia. He is a successful signing because he loves the club, he does things very well. We have analyzed the last two games; he has gained in intensity, in rhythm, courage. They lost in Getafe when they didn’t deserve it and they beat Real Sociedad at home playing well,” he said.
Regarding his footballers, he revealed that Andreas Christensen will be “available” for this Sunday’s duel, while Robert Lewandowski has “very good feelings” and Pedri and Ousmane Dembélé follow their respective processes and “the feelings of each player will mark”. “We won without Pedri, without Andreas, without Ousmane… It means that the team is a block. It is essential that we have been able to win in such a difficult field with these four important casualties”, he explained.
In another order of things, he was “happy” for the renewal of Sergi Roberto. “It’s great news that Sergi can continue, he is an extraordinary footballer. Within the dressing room we value him very much as a person and as a player. Let’s see ‘Busi’…”, he stated about the possible continuity of captain Sergio Busquets.