Real Madrid welcome Barcelona on Sunday at 21:00 CET in a highly anticipated El Clasico, as both teams come into this one in good form.
Barcelona are currently on a five-game losing streak against their fiercest rivals, having been unable to find victory under Quique Setien, Ronald Koeman and most recently Xavi himself. He was asked if this might lead to an inferiority complex on Sunday night.
“I don’t know if there was an inferiority complex, I wasn’t here, but it is a great opportunity to change the narrative and it would back up a lot of what we have been working on.”
Mundo Deportivo carried the quotes from his press conference, in which he was asked exactly what Barcelona did have to do in order to win.
“We have to be brave, try to impose our idea and try to be calm because there will be moments of all sorts. Because of my experience, I can transmit calm, remind them that it’s only three points and you have to try to enjoy it. You have to have personality, without fear or complexes.”
The most recent match against Real Madrid, under Xavi, did spark some optimism amongst cules. Despite defeat, Barcelona took Real Madrid to extra time in a match that either could have won, with it ending 3-2.
“The day of the Supercup we were good, but now we understand the positional play better, we are more solid, we’ve improved the pressure after losing the ball… but this is something we have to show on the pitch, not through me talking about it.”
