Xavi: "Where is the Champions' jester now?"
The Barcelona coach stated that "players are under too much pressure," that "the environment lacks optimism," and emphasized the need to proceed with caution.
Xavi Hernández expressed great satisfaction with Barcelona's performance after defeating Napoli 3-1 at home and securing a spot in the Champions League quarter-finals.
"We played one of the best games of the season in the perfect setting. The players, both young and experienced, took a huge step forward. We are among the top eight in the Champions League. We had to suffer for two years in the Europa League, with a round of 16 exit three years ago. Now we're back in the quarters and we can be proud," he said.
Xavi talked about the message he conveyed to his players: "Players are under too much pressure. Today it seemed like it was a life-or-death match. I told them to stay calm, that no one was going to die today. There has been a lot of unfair criticism, at one point they said we were the jester of the 'Champions'."
"What do we do now with the jester of the 'Champions'? Not too much, not too little. Now it's not like we're going to win it either. Keep calm. I told them they had to show that we could be better than Napoli, and we were in both games. The qualification is very deserved," he added.
Regarding the press, the coach said that "the environment lacks optimism" and it's "difficult to manage." "It seems like today we're breathing again. If from August until now the atmosphere was unbreathable, it was normal to lose today and not advance," Xavi commented.
