Xavi appears alongside Jules Koundé in the preview of the match against Shakhtar Donetsk.
FC Barcelona coach Xavi Hernández appeared alongside Jules Koundé on Monday, November 6, in the preview of the Champions League match against Shakhtar Donetsk.
The Barcelona coach spoke in the press room of the Volksparkstadion, home of Hamburg SV, where Shakhtar plays its matches at home due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“We are halfway to the recovery of a great Barça, of total success,” was the most striking sentence left by the coach.
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Xavi Hernández’s most notable statements before Shakhtar Donetsk vs. Barcelona:
DOES IT MEAN WINNING BY PLAYING BAD?
“It’s not the goal. What we have to achieve is dominate the game like in the Classic, when we were good. But we can’t stop there at the result. We have to give it continuity. The goal is to play well and win .”
PEDRI’S STATE OF MOOD
“I don’t like seeing him injured either. Yes, when I see him inside and everything improves when he touches the ball and everything becomes clear. Pedri has enjoyed a lot with us, he has scored a lot of goals, but with the injuries which he has ‘I haven’t always been able to do it. I think it’s what Pau Torres is referring to’.
JOIN THE GAME AND RESULT
“Aligning things is the ideal scenario, but we know this won’t happen in every match. We want to play excellent football and win by a big margin. This is the film we want, but that won’t always happen. There is a rival and we have to find the formula. No, that will always happen. It is a process and it will cost us. From that ideal scenario we will win things. We certainly have to be humble and patient. There are very good moments and results and we must continue to work on that path.”
EXCESSIVE CRITICISM
“At Barça it will always happen with all kinds of opinions. It is the environment that we have and we have to analyze what happened and be honest with the players. We have done the analysis. Without a great match we added the three points and we have to accept the criticism because it’s normal if you don’t play a good game.
RIGHT SIDE: CANCELO OR ARAUJO?
“Cancelo will regain his natural position. He will play 80% as a winger, on the right or left. That was because we wanted to adapt more defensively against Real Sociedad and Madrid, while we wanted to have three correctors behind. He will return to his position so soon as possible, as soon as possible. That’s how he and I feel best as coaches.”
TWO YEARS AS A COACH
“We achieved the objectives that we set ourselves as a staff and that the club set for us. We found ourselves in a difficult time in terms of numbers and rankings. We saved the season. In the second we won two titles and with good play . Now we must achieve excellence. We are halfway to the recovery of a great Barça. The summary is positive. I am happy and happy, but we are halfway to the total success, which is a Barça in Europe and continues to compete at national level. competitions .”
GOAL: EIGHTH FINAL
“We have done our homework. Nine of the nine so far have an idea as a background, but we need to confirm it. The goal, as I said, is to go to the second round and the second is to be first .We have it in hand and tomorrow is a very good opportunity”.
RETURN OF PEDRI AND THE REST OF WOUNDED PEOPLE
“We will certainly see it for the better. Pedri, Robert, Jules and Rafa are vital for the team beyond football level. We got the best out of the games that we could. If we are honest, against Real it is not case.” doing well in the match, against “Madrid, yes, also against Athletic and Sevilla. Not the whole match against Shakhtar, but I am sure that with the return of these players we will improve.”
ANALYSIS OF THE MATCH AGAINST REAL
“We always summarize what happened in football and not in football. We lacked things because of the intensity we lacked and the superiority that Real put into it. We need to have more control over the game and that means we have a more aggressive have to use high pressure.” Besides the fact that Real is a great team. In the end we felt confident. The first half was unacceptable, but without being good we reduced the gap to Madrid and Atlético and that must be a turning point.”
Jules Koundé’s Most Notable Sayings Before Shakhtar Donetsk vs. Barcelona:
TIRED AT THE END OF MATCHES OR CONNECTIONS?
“From my point of view it is more of a disconnect. We need to be more concentrated in terms of defending. We are working on it. We have included new players, but we are still a young team with an important margin for progression. We need to improve on this pay attention to details.”
A COUNTRY AT WAR
“We know it’s a difficult situation. They’ve had a long journey with the conditions they have, but we’re here to compete and play football.”
VIRTUES OF SHAKHTAR
“More than emphasizing one player, they are a team that plays the ball well if you give them time and don’t put pressure on them. In the second half we didn’t do so well and they were good. It cost us in the end We will try not to give them playing time.”
PLAYING MORE AS A CENTER THAN AS A SIDE
“I am happy because I play in my position. Last season I played right back and I am always available. I had a conversation with Xavi at the end of the season because I wanted to play where I can contribute the most, but I will never refusing to play as a right back. “I am at the disposal of the gentleman.”
DIFFICULTIES AT HIGH PRESSURE
“It’s a very collective issue. La Real made it very difficult for us to get the ball out. We lost quite a few balls on throw-ins and I think it’s a matter of communicating and moving. Also of intensity.” These are things that need to be improved and I am sure we will do so.”
THE CHAMPION’S LUCK?
“I agree that sometimes there are matches in a season when you don’t play well and don’t have the best feelings and desires. It happened last year and maybe it will happen again. The most important thing is to know where we can improve together and suffer like we did last year, season and in the last match”.
SENSATIONS FOR THE REAL
“We have no doubts. We don’t feel good, but we are positive and we have to keep working. There are games where you don’t play well and you have to get the three points. We showed that we knew how to do that .” suffered and responded to the difficulty.”
THE REACTION IN ANOETA
“The dressing room is good, we are aware that there are things that can be improved. The last two games leave mixed feelings. We are happy to win, but we know we have to improve. Tomorrow we want to win because it is very important and we want to give our best version.”
Source: Goal