Xavi Hernández had no other option but to make an act of contrition and publicly admit the harshness of the embarrassing situation that his team experienced with Real Madrid’s review in the Spanish Super Cup (4-1). “It’s a tough defeat. I’m angry as a culé. I feel disappointment, sadness, that’s football. It’s a bitter experience for us. It’s a shame because we were very excited, but we had the worst game of all,” admitted the coach of the team. Barça.
“You have to be very self-critical and improve a lot to fight for titles this season,” acknowledged the Terrassa coach, who repeatedly apologized to the Barcelona fans.
“To continue. I apologize to the fans, it is not the image that Barcelona has to give, and even less so in a final against Real Madrid. It has been difficult for us to compete, we have given the worst face. Let’s recover, in my career I have suffered many painful defeats and we have always gotten up. Barça will come back, they will come back,” the coach promises.
Regarding the keys to the defeat, Xavi pointed out Araújo’s penalty against Vinícius that made it 3-1. “We have been able to close the gap, but the 3-1 score has made things very bad for us, that penalty has just killed us. We have not been comfortable at any time and the ones we have generated have not gone in the right direction. We have dominated, but Madrid “It has hurt us a lot on the counterattack, we have not known how to stop those transitions.”
Xavi was trying to extract some positive reading from the bitter defeat, such as assuming that it could be a turning point that awakens the team. “I hope that this defeat will help us to compete better, to play better and to recover. It is clear that they will be hard days, of putting up with criticism, but we have to accept it. We have not been up to the task. Let’s recover and think about the titles we remain.”
He was questioned by the press who traveled to Riyadh about the viability of his project after the setback in the Super Cup, and after closing the first round of the League 7 points behind the leader. “I’m calm, there’s a lot of season left, we have to compete for three titles. But we will return, I’m convinced of it.”
Do you think you have the trust of the board? They asked him. “Yes, I think so. I still believe in the project and we can still have a great season, but we have to be very self-critical with the game we played today. It is a step back in the project, but I am strong.”
And he redounded in his apologies seeking redemption. “I am prepared to endure the criticism. It is time to apologize to the fans, we have not shown the right face against Madrid. Let’s keep working. We have recovered from the tough defeats.”
The Blaugrana captain, Sergi Roberto, summarized the discomfort over the defeat: “It hurts to lose against the eternal rival. We are screwed because we wanted to win and it couldn’t be. On Thursday we already have a new competition,” he commented, referring to the Cup round of 16 tie against Unionistas. “They have done us a lot of damage, we are leaving screwed and angry about the defeat. You have to learn from the mistakes made. There are other competitions in play.”
For the captain it was decisive “conceding two goals after 10 minutes, that marked the game, it hurt us a lot. At 2-1 we were in with a goal, but it couldn’t be.” Sergi Roberto expressed his confidence in taking flight: “I fully trust the team, I am sure we will get out of this. “You have to be self-critical, learn from your mistakes and move forward.”
