What did Barcelona coach Xavi Hernández say about ‘Barçagate’?

It’s been quite a week for Barcelona. It was revealed on Wednesday that they had paid a company owned by José María Enríquez Negreira, then vice-president of the Technical Committee of Referees, to provide them with for referee reports and ensure they were “treated with neutrality” by match officials. A day later, they were involved in a pulsating Europa League playoff round clash against Manchester United, which hangs in the balance after a 2-2 draw in the first leg. Barça return to Camp Nou on LaLiga duty against Cádiz on Sunday, before which head coach Xavi Hernández was asked about the Negreria Case/Barçagate, amongst a host of other topics.

What did Xavi say in his pre-match press conference before Barcelona vs Cádiz?

What have Cádiz done in recent matches to make life difficult for Barcelona?

We expect them to be defensive, to play direct soccer with a lot of long balls. We’ve been able to dominate against them at home, but they’ve taken advantage of their chances. We lost last year and it’s always difficult. They defend very well.

Are you afraid that Pedri’s absence will have a big effect on the team, like last year?

He is very important for us, he’s vital. He is a difference-maker and offers a lot to the team, but we have other options. Franck Kessié and Frenkie de Jong are doing well, and Sergio Busquets is back. I hope we don’t miss him as much as we did a year ago.

Will you rotate your roster?

Yes, regardless of the result on Thursday and what is at stake in Manchester, I would have made them anyway. Some players are tired, we have injured and there are players who deserve some game time.

What’s going on with Robert Lewandowski?

I don’t think he’s playing badly, he was incredible earlier in the season and now he’s doing well. Maybe we should link up more with him, but I’m happy with the work he does and the way he moves. Maybe it’s time for us to make better use of him.

How have you prepared for the game given the absentees?

Players missing, fatigue, rotation, the opposition, they all influence you. But the idea is always the same. There are many factors.

What is Ferran Torres lacking at the moment?

Confidence. When someone is not doing well, they need to believe in themselves, and I believe in him. He needs to feel that confidence.

What system do you prefer to use?

Sometimes, we play 3-4-3, like against Real Sociedad, other times 4-3-3 ... but never a 4-4-2. We always want to win the ball in the opponent’s half and push on. Some people say we are a defensive team, which is incredible. We are probably the most attacking team in Europe, along with Manchester City.

Is Pablo Torre ready to start?

He is ready to start and he has to be, because we will need him. There are always people who don’t play. If he played, you would ask me about someone else. He is different from Pedri, he plays in the hole more than as a midfielder. He shoots, breaks into the box, which is where he can be decisive.

When will we see Ousmane Dembélé again?

It’s difficult to say. He’s back training, but the timing depends on how he feels. He has to train with the rest of the group first.

How do other coaches’ compliments affect you?

It’s always nice when people say nice things about you, but what I’m looking for are results and playing the way I like us to play.

Is this a game in which you can try things out for Manchester?

Many things can happen, but I don’t want to get ahead of myself, I’ll think about Thursday later. I didn’t think that I wouldn’t have Pedri on Thursday or Ronald Araújo tomorrow.

Can players get confused by changes in the system?

Everything is prepared during the week. Nobody is surprised.

Can Ansu Fati be to Barcelona what Marcus Rashford is to Manchester United?

He can be an important,player, he has the potential.

How is Araújo?

He didn’t train with the group because he’ll be rested tomorrow. We wanted him to train at a different pace.

Given the absentees, will Busquets start?

His absence is always felt. We have felt it. Now he has recovered and it’s great news for us.

Will Eric García play in Araújo’s absence?

I’ve been unfair with him, I’ve used them together in training. He deserves more game time.

How have you matured as a coach?

In press conferences, especially (laughs). Not in moments of crisis and drastic situations such as telling players they can’t continue at the club. But I’m happy to be here with you too.

How would you assess Raphinha’s form?

Good. I am the one who has trusted him the most, I wanted to sign him. He has nine assists. He is fast, he works hard for the team and scores goals. I have doubts about him, he will definitely succeed here.

How has the Negreira Case affected how you have worked with the team?

We’ve been in a “Cádiz bubble”. We only talk about Cádiz: we talk about Cádiz, watch videos of Cádiz, and even joke about the whole thing. We’re focused on our work. We haven’t even talked about this topic.

Would it piss you off if you let LaLiga slip?

The headline is “Xavi is pissed off, right?” You can write that down (laughs). No, the key for us is to work hard because nothing’s won yet.