Products You May Like
Barcelona coach Xavi Hernández has said he has no regrets about his decision to step down at the end of the season after Saturday’s convincing 4-0 win over Getafe at the Olympic Stadium.
Raphinha, João Félix, Frenkie de Jong and Fermín López were all on target as Barça climbed to second in LaLiga, five points behind leaders Real Madrid, who play Sevilla on Sunday.
– Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.)
Barça have now picked up 13 points from a possible 15 in the league since Xavi announced he will leave in the summer, with fans chanting his name throughout the second half of the Getafe win.
Asked in a news conference when asked if he regretted his decision given the team’s upturn in results since, Xavi said: “No, the opposite.
“I think it is absolutely the correct call. The team have stepped forward since I made it and the players have shown level they have [against Getafe] and in previous games.
“I am really grateful the fans chant my name, but I am convinced my decision is the correct one for the club. The fans have always been on my side and, from the heart, I really appreciate it.”
Barça found joy in behind the Getafe defence, with the visitors playing a high line, and it was a ball over the top which led to Raphinha’s opener in the first half.
Felix added the second after the break, turning home a cross from Andreas Christensen, who once again played in midfield, with De Jong and López completing the scoring.
With Girona and Madrid yet to play this weekend, Barça ended the day second in LaLiga, with Xavi saying a performance like this was needed to help keep the pressure on the other teams at the top of the table.
“We won’t throw in the towel,” the Barça boss added. “We know we need to win every weekend. We have taken a step forward. There’s a real chance of fighting for the title.
“We are in good form. Until there is no chance mathematically, we will try to keep the pressure on Girona and Madrid. We have to focus on our job, which is to win like we did today, but we still have time — in LaLiga and the Champions League.”
Xavi singled out the “spectacular” Pau Cubarsí for praise as the 17-year-old continued to impress at the hear of Barça’s defence and said he is the best centre-back the team have at bringing the ball out.
He also applauded De Jong’s performance at the end of a week which saw the Dutch midfielder slam the media for “lies” about his future, his contract and his salary situation at the Catalan club.
“Frenkie is very self-demanding, a perfectionist,” Xavi said. “He always wants to be 10 out of 10 in every single match, but that’s not possible.
“But that is how he is and it is why he plays for Barça. He is one of the best midfielders in the world. He can play in any style of football. There are few like him. He is a guarantee. I am very happy with him.”
Proving Xavi’s point, De Jong talked down his display against Getafe, with his goal the 11,000th ever scored by Barça in all competitions.
“I think today with the ball was one of my worst games of the season, with the ball, like the passes and stuff,” De Jong told LaLiga TV.
“It’s true I scored a goal and the action that led to another goal was good, but people look at football too much like this.
“For example, today I scored and with the fourth goal I was involved in play and people think you played really good, but I think in general during the game I was not good. People think if you score you play good, but I don’t look at football that way.”