BARCELONA
Xavi’s pre-match press conference before FC Barcelona’s LaLiga game against Espanyol
Everything Xavi had to say ahead of the LaLiga Santander game against city rivals, Espanyol.
FC Barcelona have the chance, if things go their way, to win the league without kicking a ball. However, if the two Madrid teams keep up their push for points, it will fall to Xavi’s side to beat city rivals Espanyol in order to finally be crowned LaLiga champions. The last time the two teams faced each other, they drew 1-1 at Camp Nou.
The head coach sat down in front of the press to explain his thoughts on winning the league, facing Espanyol and the departure of Sergio Busquets, who he called “the most intelligent player I have ever seen”.
On Busquets, Xavi said that “the title is very important for him personally. To leave being in the first team, feeling useful and winning titles is magnificent. He has made a good decision. He leaves as a valued member of the team, in a good moment personally and for the team. I said I’d respect his decision and I wish him the best.”
Xavi says Barça are at 200%
As one might expect, one of the first questions put to the Barça boss was about winning the league, which is something that excites Xavi greatly. “Tomorrow is the first chance to win the league”, he said. “It excites us a lot to win it. I said that the sooner the better, so we’ll see in the derby. We expect Espanyol to be very aggressive. I think Luis García is a very capable coach and Espanyol have chosen well: they have brought in a fantastic manager, and they have improved with the ball under him. They have both things: they defend well and build up well. They are fighting for a lot and us too, we are excited to win the league tomorrow.”
“We are at 200%, fully ready to go”, Xavi continued, “we feel excitement, intensity and the desire to win the league. We are also playing for our lives tomorrow, the same as Espanyol. Independent of the opponent, I’m really ready to win tomorrow. For me, personally, it’s worth more to win a league. I don’t care about winning it at Espanyol’s ground or Real Madrid’s. And for the fans it’s going to be a huge boost. But what we value is the work we’ve done throughout the season.”
Xavi continued on Espanyol, saying that “the emotional side of things weighs on us, too. It will be a hotly contested game, I imagine. A derby is always fiery. It will be played a high intensity. It’s an opponent that, given the players they have, is surprising to see at the bottom end of the table. Analysing them, they have a great team.”
‘It’s the start of a new era’ for Barcelona
It’s a similar situation to that of Busquets”, Xavi said when asked about the expected departure of Mateu Alemany to Aston Villa. “We lose someone active in the club who is very important and I have been very happy to work with him, he has been key for the club, both him and Jordi have been very important. It’s a big loss for us but a personal decision we have to accept and he has a great offer ahead of him. He will work with us until summer and I wish him the best as it has been a pleasure to work with him.” The same question came in about Jordi Cruyff, another executive who is rumoured to be leaving: It’s a decision of the president. We are still waiting to win the league, after that we will decide. We have to restructure the sporting side of the club, nothing is decided”, he said.
Given the departure of Busquets, Xavi was asked whether this was the end of an era: “it’s the start of a new one”, he said. “When Busquets goes, it’s always news of who we’re going to replace him with, it’s sad he’s leaving but we’re trying to work so we get another [midfielder]. Hopefully Gavi and Pedri, this type of players, can even get better than him. There are great players and especially midfielders in the youth teams and hopefully they can follow Busquets. I’d say we’re starting a new era.”
‘I’d always give the winning team a guard of honour’
Xavi expanded on giving his side an almost unprecedented five days of free time, saying “I almost gave them eight! But we still have to win the league!”
When a team wins the league in Spain, the topic of the pasillo, the guard of honour, inevitably comes up. “You already know my opinion”, Xavi said when asked about potential pasillos, “because it happened with Betis. I did it for Madrid as a player. It’s an act of respect and admiration for the winner. But you have to do a lot for them to give us a guard of honour or not. But it’s about respect and sporting values. I’d always do it.”
Whether or not Xavi had spoken to Deco or not was the next question, as it was revealed that the two had already started to plan the transfers for next season: They are hypotheses. There is nothing decided. When it’s decided it will be made official. There’s nothing as of yet.”
Barça have spoken about inviting Gerard Piqué to the league celebrations
Xavi was asked about a former player who left earlier in the season, Gerard Piqué, and whether he would be invited to the league title celebrations. “We have thought about [inviting Piqué]”, Xavi said, “we will invite him to celebrate if we win the league. He’s a special case as there are players loaned out at other clubs, but in his case it’s a retirement and we’ll call him.”
“I’m very excited, Xavi finished by saying, “the moment is coming and there are both slight nerves and excitement. For me it would be an important step in my career but that’s not the most important thing, which is the title for the team.”
