Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez did not hide the sadness and bitterness he felt after losing to Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup semi-final.
Real Madrid managed to beat Barcelona 3-2 in the Super Clasico match that was held at the King Fahd International Stadium in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, after the match extended to additional games after the original time ended in a 2-2 draw.
In his post-match statements, Xavi confirmed that his team was the best party in the Clasico, but stressed that he was proud of his players’ performance and that “Barcelona is on the right track,” as he put it.
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What did Xavi say?
Xavi said in the statements reported by the Spanish newspaper “Mundo Deportivo”: “We owned the match, except for the first 20 minutes. It was a little complicated because of the recent results.”
He added: “After those first minutes we were better than Real Madrid in terms of playing and dominating, we controlled the game, we took a lot of risks, and we didn’t know how to control the transitions.”
He continued, “We can be proud that we competed against them, which is a step forward despite the result, we are on the right track, and it is a turning point.”
Xavi expressed his regret, saying: “We made mistakes and lost the ball in areas where we shouldn’t lose it. We must be more responsible when we carry the ball especially in front, because neglecting it caused counter-attacks and goals when we were better.”
When asked about some players returning from injury, such as Ansu Fati and Pedri, or newcomer Ferran Torres, Xavi said: “The three helped the team and will help a lot. We saw what they could do, and they will make a big difference for us.”
What is Matteo Alemani’s opinion of the result?
For his part, Matteo Alemani, Barcelona’s director of football, confirmed that the team played a “massive” match despite the defeat against Real Madrid, but he did not agree that it would become a turning point in the team’s path.
Alemani said in statements to the Spanish channel “Movistar +”: “The loss is a turning point, no, but this match shows the capabilities that the team has and the project we are considering.”
“It was a great match for the spectators, and anything could have happened in a match that was even,” he added.
He continued, “This match came relatively early with players returning after a long absence, but the team was great and worked a lot, and I congratulate the team and its ability to compete.”
What is the position of Ousmane Dembele?
Alemani revealed the status of Ousmane Dembele’s contract with Barcelona, especially since the French international’s contract will expire next June, and the two parties have not yet reached an agreement on the renewal.
“He knows very well what the club wants, he has an offer on the table and he knows we have to resolve the situation quickly. I think there will be a solution soon,” Alemani said.
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