FC BARCELONA
Xavi and Koundé speak ahead of Barcelona’s Champions League game against Shakhtar Donetsk
The coach spoke ahead of Barça’s UCL tie, giving an update on the return of some players as well as his feelings after the win over Real Sociedad.
Barcelona manager Xavi Hernández spoke to the press ahead of the game in the UEFA Champions League Group Stage game against Shakhtar Donetsk (1.45 p.m. ET / 10.45 a.m. PT). He gave a fitness update as well as his thoughts on the recent win over Real Sociedad, where a late goal was needed from Ronald Araújo to give the Catalans all three points after a lacklustre performance.
Defender Jules Koundé also sat down in the media conference, and he was asked about the performance in northern Spain: “the dressing room is good”, he said, “we’re aware there are things to improve on. The last two games (a win over Real Sociedad and a loss to Real Madrid) give us mixed feelings. We’re happy to have won but we know we have to improve. Tomorrow we want to win because it’s important and we want to show the best version of ourselves.”
Koundé explains Real Sociedad difficulties
“We weren’t good”, said Koundé, “but we are positive and we know we have to keep working. We showed that we knew how to suffer. We responded to the difficulty.”
Real Sociedad played a high press and caused Barcelona a lot of problems all over the pitch for 80 minutes as they tore through the midfield time and time again. “It’s something collective”, said Koundé when probed on how difficult Barcelona found things against La Real, “they made things tough for us in buildup. We lost a lot of balls out wide and I think it’s about communication and movement, as well as intensity. They are things to improve on and I’m sure we’ll do it tomorrow.”
Xavi happy about return of ‘vital’ players
After Koundé's appearance in front of the press, it was Xavi’s turn, who was immediately asked about his thoughts on the game against Real Sociedad: “We always do a report of what happened in terms of what we did and didn’t do in a football sense. We lacked things in our play due to the low intensity and the pressure La Real put us under. We have to be more dominant in games and that comes through high pressure... in the end we had faith. Xavi repeated his post-match comment that “the first half wasn’t acceptable”, adding that “without being good we reduced the gap between us and Madrid and Atlético, and that has to be a turning point.”
The boss then gave his thoughts on the returning players, as Barcelona have been plagued by injuries: “Pedri, Jules [Koundé] and Rafa (Raphinha) are all vital for our team, even more than just in terms of football. We have been going about games how we can [without them]. If we’re honest, against Real Sociedad we didn’t play well, against Real Madrid (in LaLiga) we did, and also against Athletic Club and Sevilla. Against Shakhtar we didn’t play well for the whole game but I’m sure in the next round of games we’ll be better.”
Madrid Super Cup win ‘a turning point’ in Barça project
Playing poorly and winning “is not the objective”, Xavi said. “What you have to do is dominate the game like in the Clásico, when we looked good. We didn’t get the result then, but you have to carry on. The objective is to play well and win.”
“There was a turning point when we won the Super Cup against Madrid”, Xavi said when asked about the proyect that is now two years old, “where we played well. It was fundamental for the players to be able to believe [in the system].”
Barcelona play Shakhtar Donetsk at Volksparkstadion in Hamburg on Tuesday November 7, 2023. Kick-off is at 1.45 p.m. ET / 10.45 a.m. PT.