FC Barcelona have gradually regained their lost glory under the tutelage of Xavi Hernandez. The Blaugrana have recently thumped arch-rivals Real Madrid in the El Clasico as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored a brilliant brace to guide the Catalans to a 4-0 win against Carlo Ancelotti’s Blancos.
Ronald Araujo and Ferran Torres also registered a goal each ensuring FC Barcelona’s riot over Real Madrid. The win marks a big return for the Blaugrana as they are back in the La Liga title race. The win has instilled a belief in Xavi Hernandez who believes that after this performance his men can beat Real Madrid and Atletico to the La Liga title this season.
This win means Barcelona are now 12 points behind Los Blancos with a game in hand. There are still 10 matches to be played and Xavi’s men will be looking to give everything to overturn the deficit and secure their position at the summit. Gerard Pique also came up with a tweet saying, “We are back.”
When quizzed about the statement Xavi highlighted that there is a possibility that his team can make a comeback late in the season. “Maybe we can say we’re back,” Xavi said at the press conference.
He revealed how this is the way he wanted his team to play and they have followed the path shown by him and were better than their arch rivals Real Madrid. “This is the path to follow. This is the way we want to play. It was a complete performance. We were much better than Madrid. We played almost as the home team at their ground,” Xavi added.
The Spanish tactician shared how they could have scored six or even more goals but feels that it happens in a big clash. “We could easily have scored five or six. We changed the negative dynamic of losing the last few Clasicos. It’s a day to enjoy, not only as a Barca manager but also a fan,” said Xavi.
The Barcelona manager refuses to turn down their chances of winning the La Liga title. He admitted that it might be a bit late for the Catalans to push for the title but he believes that if they play this way then it is surely a possibility for them to beat Real Madrid to clinch the title. However Xavi still insisted how qualifying for the Champions League is the main target for his team this season.
“I don’t know if we can win the title, we can’t rule out anything. Maybe we’re a bit late, but this is a very big win for us.”
“We’ve won tonight — and we also have the better head-to-head record [against Madrid, which decides the title if both teams finish level on points] — but it is going to be very difficult,” Xavi added.
The Spaniard highlighted how Real have lost three matches and for them to go ahead they will need them to win another three matches for them to come into contention for the title. “Madrid have only lost three league games. They have to lose three more. We must keep working hard. The first objective is to qualify for the Champions League,”concluded Xavi.
It is clear that Xavi’s appointment as Barca manager has been a major success for the Blaugrana till now. He has instilled a sense of belief among the club, supporters and players. He believes that the club can regain their lost glory under his reign.
