The pressure is mounting at Barca after some disappointing results in recent periods and it is blowing more around Xavi than ever in his time as Barca coach. However, Xavi rejects the dismissal rumors and urges calm about the whole project.
“It’s all harder now, but I want to continue to turn it around. In these situations I give even more of myself and I haven’t considered stopping. On the contrary. I don’t want to disappoint and leave the club of my life”, came from Xavi at today’s press conference ahead of the match against Valencia Saturday evening.
“I’m still very excited about the project. It’s time to calm down and get my confidence back. I believe in the project more than ever and we stand together. I spoke to Deco yesterday and everything is fine. It is said, that our relationship is bad, but my relationship with Deco is absolutely exceptional,” he continued.
Here is what he also stated:
The team’s belief in the project:
“The team still believes in the way we do it. There is no doubt about that. We have a strong dressing room and of course everyone gets frustrated when things don’t go well, but they are fully committed to the coaching staff and the club”.
“The same thing happened to us last year. Last season in October there was also talk of throwing it all away, but in the end it was a great season. Five months ago we were around the streets celebrating our two trophies “.
Lack of understanding of current criticism:
“I understood all the noise and criticism last year when we went out of the Champions League, but I don’t understand it this season. We have won the group in the Champions League, we are in the fight for La Liga and we still have to play in Copa del Rey and the Super Cup”.
The match against Valencia:
“It’s a final. We need points because we’re not performing as we should in the league. The defeats to Real Madrid and Girona took a toll on us and the Valencia game is a very difficult game because Valencia at the Mestalla is a difficult opponent to face”, concluded Xavi.
