MADRID, 2 Sep. (EUROPA PRESS) –
FC Barcelona coach Xavi Hernández warned that although the draw for the Champions League group stage has theoretically been more benevolent than in previous years with Porto, Shakhtar and Antwerp as rivals, it will not be.” easy” to reach the round of 16, although he knows that they are “practically forced” to do so “by history and by the circumstances of recent seasons”.
“It’s the same as if the squad is good or it’s not good or it’s better than last year, this is going to prove it, you have to prove it at the Champions League level. Therefore, from the first game, focused on moving from groups with the objective of being the leader of that group. This is the objective we have for now in the Champions League, but knowing that there will be difficulties, that it will not be easy at all”, warned Xavi this Saturday at a press conference.
The Blaugrana coach insisted that it is necessary to “show” that they are favorites to finally pass the first round. “We really like to anticipate situations, but we cannot advance anything. We will compete, yes, we have to show our faces and we are practically forced by history and by the circumstances of recent seasons to pass, but it will not be easy, let’s go to go step by step”, settled.
The one from Terrassa referred to his theoretical main rival, the Portuguese Porto, “a very difficult team”. “I think he works very well and very intensely with Sergio Conceiçao and it’s going to cost us. They won’t be easy matches, he is very intense, talented and experienced,” he explained.