Xavi post-match: defeat to Shakhtar “a step backwards” and “one of the worst games in two years”

FC Barcelona manager Xavi Hernández spoke to the press after his side lost 1-0 to a spirited Shakhtar Donetsk side in the third round of fixtures in Group H of the UEFA Champions League. The coach, clearly disappointed with the result and performance from his players, called the game “a step backwards” and “an example of what not to do”.

The club, despite sitting top of the Champions League group and in the European positions in the LaLiga standings, are not going through their best moment of form with performances failing to convince: last weekend they survived a true onslaught against Real Sociedad, somehow winning 0-1 at the Reale Arena, yet the following Tuesday goals were impossible to come by as the blaugrana huffed and puffed to a frustrating 1-0 loss, thanks to a lone header from Shakhtar striker, Sikan, in the first half.

Barça performance ‘a step backwards... we leave here angry’

When asked by Spanish TV whether his team lacked intensity, a key word in his assessment of the side in their LaLiga win over La Real, Xavi responded by saying he “wouldn’t say intensity.”

“I would say [a problem of] the play. We didn’t understand what the game required of us. We lost a lot of balls and didn’t defend crosses well. Errors are costly. We tried, we were intense, but it was not to be. Time to keep going.”

In the second half, Barcelona made sure that Shakhtar failed to find as many passing combinations and clear-cut chances than in the first, where the home side were clearly superior, despite defending for large parts. However, in the second half, Xavi was still not happy and ordered 4 substitutes at the same time. “The reaction [in the second half] was good, there was intensity, but it was not sufficient”, he said. “We have to see how to attack and improve in defence. It’s the little details that are costing us. This is a step backwards. This competition demands the highest level and we didn’t play at it today. We leave here angry.”

Defeat ‘one of the worst games in two years... we have to find ourselves’

“We’re in a low moment”, he admitted, “in terms of our play, losses of the ball and how to attack. It can happen. We haven’t lost anything. Tactically, we played one of the worst games in the two years [that he has been in charge]. It wasn’t the right moment. We have to be self-critical. We are in a low moment in terms of confidence and we have to have a reset. We don’t feel comfortable with our play. It’s a bad feeling that we have inside the dressing room and also myself as manager.”

“We depend on ourselves to qualify”, Xavi said, “and against Porto we can mathematically do it. We have to be proud [however], show character and self-love. Just a short while ago we were playing well and this happens during a season. We have to find ourselves. It’s more a mental thing than physical or tactical.”

Barça going through ‘footballing rough patch’

“We are doing things badly in general, both in attack and defence. We are giving away too much. Our defending after losing the ball isn’t right. It’s costing us like against Madrid and it happened again today. We have to create more. It’s both my job as manager and of the players to take a step forward. Recovering the dynamism and confidence is my job. We haven’t lost anything but we are in a little footballing rough patch.”

When asked if the international break would help his side to achieve the ‘reset’, Xavi wasn’t so sure, saying that he is “not thinking about that” and instead focussing on “recovering the team, becoming recognisable again, enjoying ourselves and feeling comfortable.”