After being beaten away at Antwerp in the Champions League, Barcelona coach Xavi was frank in the interview and responded to sporting director Deco's remarks about the disagreement in the squad.
Here's a quick interview after the game.
I'm worried, the team isn't feeling well, we've had a couple of bad results and we have to improve. The opposition created a lot of chances in the attack and we have to be self-critical. Nevertheless, we achieved our goal and now we know we are the top of the group. Having said that, we're not at our best, we have to keep trying.
We could have done more, but we weren't in good shape, we didn't feel good and we didn't have good luck in the end. This issue must be addressed, and that is the most important thing.
In the Champions League, all opponents are not easy to play, we beat them at home to our strongest opponents, Porto, and it is difficult to play away. It's been a tough couple of years for the club but now we're in the round of 16 and that's our number one goal in the Champions League this season. We have to get back to good football and I think we'll do it.
Give him trust. He started the season really well and today he was out of form like the whole team. He's got quality and you have to have faith in him.
The opponent is the team you draw. Participating in the draw is our goal and the team should be congratulated.
Here's what the post-match press conference will take.
We were really not in good form today and I don't like to say anything bad about the players in public, but our true level is not what it was in the game. Individual mistakes cost us the goal and it's a matter of confidence and it's a lot of pressure to play at Barca. We have to do better and if we want to get something out this season, we have to improve. It was a game that created unnecessary tension and today should be a happy day and I'll talk to the players to get them back on their feet.
Deco said before the game: "We didn't agree on anything. The squad is the coach's business." )
We don't have bad feelings internally, it's external feelings. The list was agreed upon, Robert [Lewandowski] told me he wanted to play, Gundogan said he wanted to help the team, we decided within the club, it's a team thing. It's not that I'm in a bad situation, the chairman is in a good situation or something. There is no problem inside, the problem is emotional,It's the unpleasant defeat against Girona, not today. We have a final on Saturday and the way to turn that around is to win on Saturday and I'll talk to the players and see how they're doing. Criticize as much as you want, we don't have any problems.
We believe we can get our senses back on Saturday. We have to reflect that we played a good game on Sunday and not today. In the Champions League, we got the job done. I'm focused on my work,The Chairman and Deco have full trust in me.
Absolutely. There are still four titles to go for, so I'm looking forward to this season. We need to improve our feelings, that's all.
No, this is agreed by all parties, I have reached an agreement with Cod and the chairman, the final decision is up to me, the list is decided by me, and you have nothing to do.
We didn't start the game well, there was tension in the squad and we talked to the players and they wanted to be with the team. We talked to Deco, the chairman, changed the roster, and that's it. But I insist that today's defeat wasn't painful and that people were talking about things that didn't concern usWhat is relevant to us is the competition. To win this season, we need to improve a lot.
They played a good game, they hit the counter-attacks a lot and Janssen caused us a lot of damage and they played at a high level.
It was very uncomfortable to go out of the Champions League last season and the defeat to Girona put a lot of pressure on us, but it wasn't the worst of times, there was unreasonable tension.