Xavi warns Barcelona not to drop La Liga title intensity

Xavi has warned his Barcelona players over complacency in their La Liga title push.

Ferran Torres’ goal sealed a return to winning ways in league action for Barcelona, as the Catalans edged out a 1-0 victory over Atletico Madrid, to open up an 11-point title lead.

La Blaugrana have a huge advantage over second place Real Madrid, with eight league matches left to play in 2022/23, but Xavi insisted the job is not yet complete for his team.

“The team doesn’t feel like champions, and if they do, I’ll tell them we’re not”, as per reports from Marca.

“Our position is privileged, but nothing has been done yet. Rayo Vallecano in our next game will be tough.”

Barcelona will be solely focused on the job at hand in La Liga after already bowing out of the Europa League and the Copa del Rey in 2023.

His side head to Vallecas in midweek and the former midfielder has not beaten Rayo during his time in charge at Barcelona.

Barcelona lost in the Spanish capital under Ronald Koeman last season, and Rayo completed the double over them in the reverse fixture, in Xavi’s early tenure.

Sergio Busquets was sent off in a 0-0 home draw against Rayo in August, and the veteran midfielder will miss out on this key game, after picking up a fifth La Liga booking of the season against Atletico.

Tags Ferran Torres Ronald Koeman Sergio Busquets Xavi
La Liga - Club News