Xavi pre-match press conference ahead of Barcelona’s LaLiga game against Getafe

Barcelona’s manager, Xavi Hernández, spoke to the press ahead of the club’s game against Getafe in LaLiga EA Sports (KO 10:15 a.m. ET / 7:15 a.m. PT.). The club come into the game off the back of a 1-1 draw against Napoli in the UEFA Champions League, a result which Xavi described as generally positive although he thought his side deserved to win.

In the previous fixture between Barcelona and Getafe, which came on the first day of the season, the two sides played out a 0-0 draw at Getafe’s Coliseum Alfonso Pérez in southern Madrid. On that occasion, the tie was certainly not a classic and both Raphinha and Xavi himself saw red, as well as Getafe’s Jaime Mata.

How will you approach the match against Getafe? We need the support of the fans. It is a very important match. Getafe are very well coached by Bordalás, they are very aggressive and understand aggressiveness in a good sense. They are not a defensive team, they are a brave team, which have taken points in difficult stadiums like the Metropolitano.

How do you explain Lewandowski’s recent improvement? Robert’s form is a consequence of the team’s improvement. He is better positioned. We are attacking and defending in a more orderly fashion. And he’s been more effective.

Will there be rotations to the starting XI? We’ll see how we all are when we get there. Today we have done a recovery session, as well as a video meeting and tactical training. It’s time for the best players to play. We will make some changes, but not many.

Do you think you still have a chance of winning the league? Until we mathematically can’t, we will fight for it. Every week is a different story. We are the ones who can’t slip up, especially at home. We are not throwing in the towel regarding the league, even though we know it’s complicated.

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Do Getafe play at the limit of the rules, what should you do to overcome it? I have already said that I don’t talk about referees. I can say that I like the aggressiveness of Bordalás’ teams. And for me, they are not a defensive team. Aggressive doesn’t mean they are defensive. It is true that they play very direct. They are performing well and Bordalás should be praised for that.

Would a win change the outlook for the season? It would give us more peace of mind and a week to rest. If we win, we would go to bed tonight in second place. But we have to do our job, which is to get the three points. We talk too much at the press conference; it’s time to act. We have had a very good reaction, but we have finals between now and the end of the season.

Are you worried about the time of the match, which kicks off at 4:15 p.m.? (10:15 a.m. ET / 7:15 a.m. PT.) It would have been better to play it on Sunday or Monday. But we have to play at that time and there is no excuse. We will compete and try to win.

Could you play for Getafe as you did for Barça? Yes, being a midfielder in a Bordalás team I would have to play more direct. But for me, he should be praised.

How is Ferran Torres, when can he come back? It’s the player’s feelings that decide his return time. I can’t give an exact date.

Simeone complained about the schedules. Arriving back on Wednesday night, does it make sense to play on Saturday? I have already answered the question. It’s not logical to play on Saturday, but that’s no excuse. But it would have been better to play on Sunday or Monday..., but it was not possible.

What profile should your replacement have? I have an opinion, but Deco and Laporta are the ones who have to decide. He must have the DNA that we have inside.

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Do you think the players have taken the step forward that you demanded when you said you were leaving? The decision was right, the step was necessary. And it doesn’t take away from the fact that the club needs a change at the end of the season. We are competing better and the decision I made is the right one, yes.

Why do you prefer Christensen to Oriol Romeu? Romeu has had discomfort, he has a plan to be at one hundred percent and he is needed. I think Andreas has given us the balance we were missing.

In your opinion, should Araújo be non-transferable? For me there is no doubt. He is the present and the future of Barça. He is already one of the captains and I think he is one of the fundamental players of the club.

What is your assessment of Greenwood’s season? We won’t do anything special, but we do have to keep an eye on him and cover him. He is very strong in one-on-one situations. Getafe, in addition to the block, has individuals.

Why did the team physically drop off against Napoli? It wasn’t a physical issue, it was a matter of control. At 0-1, we thought we had the game under control and we dropped back. Napoli dominated us for those ten minutes. But it wasn’t a physical issue at all.

Is Gündogan performing better? He can show his quality from the pivot position or in the midfield. For me he’s having a great season. And not just in terms of his numbers, but also what he brings to the group.

How do you rate Cancelo’s contribution? He is doing very well. His contribution is fantastic. If we correct him sometimes it’s because he’s playing too high up or too low down. But it’s also because he’s close to me... We’re very happy with his performance, he’s a leader.