Xavi talks Lewandowski, Gavi, Felix, Cancelo following Barcelona 5-0 Real Betis
FC Barcelona restarted their campaign in an emphatic fashion, securing a 5-0 win over Real Betis at Estadi Olimpico.
Xavi was delighted with the idea, but the Barcelona coach highlighted key areas where the club must improve as the season progresses.
“This is a little closer to the Barcelona we want, but we have to improve, especially in defence,” he said. “It was not a perfect match. I refuse to say that. It was excellent, yes.”
“We didn’t do everything well. We lost some balls in the front areas and this can’t happen. We have to improve many things,” Xavi added.
One of the key takeaways from Barcelona’s 5-0 victory was the performances of deadline day signing Joao Felix and Joao Cancelo, with both even finding the back of the net.
“When you manage Cancelo and Joao Felix you realize their greatness. They give us many variants and make the team better,” Xavi said about their performances.
“Joao Felix interpreted the match very well and made the correct decisions. Above all, his individual quality makes the difference. Both Joaos make the difference,” he added.
Xavi went on to heap praise on Cancelo, detailing the instruction he had given to the Portuguese international to join the midfield.
“We instructed Cancelo to join the midfield in possession for numerical superiority,” he said. “Cancelo does everything right. He comes from Pep.”
“When I was a player and they signed a new player in my position, I knew that I had to wake up. That’s what is happening,” Xavi added, suggesting that the new signings have only improved the team.
The Barcelona coach also talked about the performances of other individuals, including Robert Lewandowski, who had received a lot of flak for his recent form.
“Lewandowski has been playing very well in the last two matches,” Xavi said about the Polish international.
Talking about Gavi, Xavi added, “It’s hard for me to take Gavi off the pitch. He’s fast, he makes recoveries, great pressure. He’s the heart of the team.”
Xavi also talked about Ferran Torres, stating, “In the summer, Ferran Torres told me that he was going to stay. In his mind, he only thought about doing well at Barça. Practically nobody believed in him, but he’s proving the doubters wrong. He has incredible mental strength.”
Finally, the Barcelona boss offered a message to the fans following this emphatic victory against Real Betis.
“A message to the fans would be to continue with the euphoria. We’re gonna try and give everything to make you happy,” he said.
Following the win, the focus will now shift to midweek when Barcelona kickstart their Champions League campaign against Royal Antwerp.
