On Cancelo: “It's the knee but it doesn't seem serious”
MADRID, 5 Ene. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The coach of FC Barcelona, 1-2.
“Nothing changes. Everyone works and runs for the team since I have been a coach. It was more difficult if we were within 10 points. There are always assumptions in a negative way. It has been won,” he said at a press conference after closing the first round in Gran Canaria seven points off the lead.
Barça found themselves behind on the scoreboard in the first half and ended up winning with a penalty that they saw “clearly” on Ilkay Gündogan in stoppage time. “We conceded a goal due to a mismatch. Once again we had to fight back against a team that, when it had taken the lead, no one had come back against,” he stated.
“It also has merit. I had faith, I told them at half-time that we were going to win 1-3. If we did well not to go offside, the moment of the pass, there was no need to talk more. It was a matter of having more maturity in the game and quality in the last pass,” he added.
Xavi also pointed out that the attitude was not that of the day against Almería on the last day, despite an equally discreet first half. “We were much better than the day against Almería. Today in the second half the team understood it and we went for the game. We deserved it,” he noted.
“Today the rhythm and intensity, the attitude, have been good, in the first half we lacked play, the last pass. Las Palmas has been brave and we have been good. We have had possession, chances, I am happy,” he added.
Finally, the Barça coach reassured regarding a possible injury to Joao Cancelo, who had to leave the field in the first minutes of the match. “At first it doesn't seem serious, it's the knee, but we have to wait for the tests,” he concluded.