Barcelona went out to train after 11:00 am and among the players were Lewandowski, Raphinha, De Jong – those who were in the final stretch -, Pedri and Koundé. The five passed through a hallway full of their classmates to celebrate their return, although there will be no list of those summoned until this Saturday morning. Barça rearms itself for the classic, to the surprise of its own coach. “It surprised me too,” he confessed. “Players that we ruled out are feeling better, they have a good feeling. I guess it’s because it’s a classic. For a coach that all the players want to be there is fantastic,” he reflected.
The Terrassa coach assures that it is the same footballers who want to be against Madrid, that he has not forced anyone. “Everyone has a lot of commitment and involvement. “Everyone wants to train, test themselves and play,” he explained. Furthermore, he wanted to highlight how some, especially Koundé or De Jong, have shortened the recovery period. “If something has to be said, the news is that players who had five weeks, already want to play in three,” he highlighted.
Xavi does not want to give clues about his lineup and will wait until the last minute to decide if he will have Lewandowski in the attack. “Obviously I will not advance anything. It is understandable but Robert is fine.”
But if the Barcelona coach is clear about one thing, it is that the classic is not a day for experiments. “Those who are better will play. The opposite would be making a mistake. In a classic you have to be 100%. Today everyone felt well but we will see how they are tomorrow,” he insisted.
The classic is, according to Xavi, “one of the biggest rivalries in the world for sure. The largest in the world? I don’t know. In Argentina they will tell you that Boca-River. But for the club, it is the most important game, without a doubt.” Furthermore, Madrid’s visit to Montjuïc could serve to turn the standings around. “We see it as an opportunity. It could mean a boost of confidence and spirit because we would overtake them.” Although Xavi sees the two teams as very even. “The obligation is the same for both clubs. There is almost never a favorite. He is at 50%.”
The Egarense broke a spear for the designated referee, Gil Manzano. “The less we talk about him, the better. I always believe in his honesty and I hope he always gets it right,” he asked. “No matter how much controversy there is, I am aware of football: of Vinícius the footballer, of Ancelotti’s work… I will not be the one to generate controversy,” he said to avoid the noise.
Tactically, Xavi has detected that “Madrid has changed the drawing with Bellingham. Now Vinicius and Rodrygo stand out more in depth. They are biting and you have to watch them,” he noted. The coach is clear about the Barça he wants and the game plan he would like. “We will be brave and daring. We have to try to dominate the game with the ball a lot but we will have to be a little more cautious because two players are left behind, sometimes three with Bellingham. We have to watch the losses and even more so against Madrid, which takes great advantage of these transitions,” he prescribed. Now he just needs to name his eleven.
