Xavi: Barcelona has had a bad week

 

Barcelona manager Xavi has said that his team has had a bad week, having lost their second consecutive game on Monday evening after a 1-0 loss to relegation-threatened Cadiz.

The Blaugrana lost 3-2 to Frankfurt in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Europa League at Camp Nou last Thursday to fall 4-3 on aggregate, and the team has now failed to take full advantage of Sevilla’s 3-2 to Real Madrid at the weekend.

Sevilla, Barcelona, and Atletico Madrid are all locked on 60 points, with Barcelona in second and Sevilla and Atletico Madrid in third and fourth positions, respectively.

While Barcelona is a game less than others, the group is fifteen points behind Real Madrid while they are just three points above Real Betis, who sit in the fifth position making the next six rounds of games interesting.

After a 0-0 scoreline at halftime, Barcelona fell behind, when 33-year-old Lucas Perez put the away side ahead in the 48th minute.

Cadiz went away with the much important three points, which lifted them off the relegation waters. The Pirates now sit in 16th with 31 points, two places above the relegation zone and two points away from the last relegation place.

Only Granada separates them from Mallorca in 18th and while Levante and Alaves are both six points off in 19th and 20th respectively.

Barcelona will play Real Sociedad on Thursday, and Xavi says his team will regroup before Thursday’s fixture as they hope to seal a UEFA Champions League place.

“Cádiz has been very aggressive in defense, well organized. It has been difficult for us due to their effectiveness. We have to regroup and think about Thursday; we continue with the goal of the Champions League intact. It’s a very bad week for us, and we have to change the dynamic as soon as possible.” Xavi said.

 

Written by: Daniel Ademiju Idowu