Last night was a moment of triumph for Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez as he guided the team to the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League for the first time since 2020, after they beat Napoli 3-1 (4-2 agg.).
With the first leg of the Round of 16 ending in a 1-1 draw in Italy, everything was on the line in Montjuic on Tuesday. But Barcelona rose to the occasion as goals from Fermin Lopez, Joao Cancelo, and Robert Lewandowski clinched a hugely important victory.
Who’s the buffoon now?
Manager Xavi Hernandez was in a jubilant mood after the game in his press interactions. The Barça head coach lashed out at some media sections that had doubted Barcelona and even had gone as far as calling the team the ‘Champions League buffoons’.
“I told the players to stay calm, nobody was going to die today. The press were saying we were the buffoons in the Champions League, unfair criticism from journalists. Was that necessary? Are we still the buffoons?”
Further continuing his bashing of the media, Xavi said: “We continue to be a team in construction. Yesterday you told me that the team didn’t perform on the big stage. Now what?”
“If we had lost today, you would have told me I was going to be sacked. Calm down, this is very long,” the Barça legend continued.
“The Barça entourage needs to be much more positive, it’s been a lost war since August. We haven’t been able to breathe. We’re improving, stay calm.”
Proud of the team
Discussing what it means to have won last night against Napoli and made it through to the Champions League quarterfinals, Xavi stated: “We’re one of the top 8 teams in Europe. We have to be proud of what we did. It was one of our best matches this season.”
“This has been one of the best feelings as Barça manager,” he added.
“We’re doing very great work. We’re in construction, getting better, with young footballers who have never played these kind of knockout rounds.”
On the performance of the team, the manager remarked: “Despite the results, we are actually playing better than we did last season.”
“I’m very happy, we have played a great game, a very complete one. I’m very proud. The team has exhausted all of its energy. We controlled the game in many moments.”
“During the season we have received criticism that I think is very unfair.”
“We were better than Napoli. We created way more chances and we deserve to go through. Winning and playing well against Napoli has a lot of merit.”
Praise for the players
There were a lot of star performers for Barcelona on Tuesday night, with youngsters like Pau Cubarsi, Fermin Lopez, and Lamine Yamal stepping up, along with veterans such as Sergi Roberto and Ilkay Gundogan. And, Xavi took the time to praise each of the star performers.
“Cubarsi is a very rational kid, a humble guy, calm, down to earth. He has an incredible future, we’re probably looking at a centre-back who will play at the maximum level for years to come,” said Xavi about Cubarsi, who walked away with the MotM award on his UCL debut.
“My pulse does not go up when Cubarsi has the ball. That’s the best summary for him.”
“Cubarsi does not get nervous. He’s very calm, his ball output is brutal, he has pause, he generates attacking plays, he links up with interiors and forwards… It’s a spectacle to watch him play,” he remarked right after the game.
Praising Gundogan, Xavi remarked: “Gundogan is one of the best midfielders in the world.”
Sergi Roberto, who came on as a substitute and assisted the third goal, was also on the receiving end of some positive words from the manager, as Xavi said:
“Apart from the goal, Sergi Roberto was great in attack and defence. He’s a very important footballer for me, and he hasn’t played more because he has had injuries.”
On his decision to take Fermin Lopez off and introduce Roberto, Xavi explained: “Fermin was very tired and we had lost the control in midfield. We didn’t want a back and forth match, we wanted full control.”
On how La Masia always delivers for Barcelona, the manager remarked: “We have the future right at home. La Masia players always have a great desire.”
Will enjoy UCL at Camp Nou as a fan next season
Xavi has already announced that he will leave Barcelona at the end of the season. When asked if he is reconsidering his decision now that things are looking up for the team, the manager flat out rejected that possibility, saying:
“Right now, it’s impossible for me to change my decision. I will leave the club at the end of the season.”
“You keep on asking me if I will stay if we win the Champions League. No, I will not. My future will not change. My response will not change. I will leave at the end of the season.”
When asked if he did not want to enjoy the Champions League at Camp Nou next season, Xavi replied: “Yes, I will enjoy it next season. As a fan, nothing more.”
Right after the match, before attending his press conference, Xavi also remarked how people did not believe him when he said his announcement to leave would spur the team on to do better and now the results are there for everyone to see.
“People didn’t believe me. I said that the team would be liberated if I announced my decision to step aside at the end of the season. So what now? We’re in the quarterfinals, as one of the top eight teams in Europe. Today we showed that we’re a Champions League-level team.”
Source: Mundo Deportivo/YouTube
