Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez has admitted that he might have been a little louder in his half-time team talk against Almeria on Wednesday evening. The Blaugrana coach appeared to finally lose his temper with his squad after a series of poor performances, criticising them in the press conference after the match too.
According to reports, he told his team in no uncertain terms that they had to improve, demanding that the Barcelona players ‘run like pigs’. There was a definitive improvement in their performance in the second half. After Barcelona lost their friendly with America just over 24 hours later in Dallas, Xavi was asked if he had shouted at his players during the half-time break at Almeria.
“I try to be sincere and honest, say things to their face, I can’t hide that. Shouts? [There’s] Tension, it’s normal, it’s a dressing room, we had a lot at stake and I thought it was convenient to raise my voice a little, nothing more. From here on I think the The team has reacted very well, very well, in the dressing room we are a team, a big family. They are professionals and they understood it very well, in the second half they took the route in which we now have to stay on. We will stop, have a break, to face 2024 with great desire and enthusiasm,” he told MD.
Xavi has often called out his players for mistakes, but never for attitude before this week, which following such a disappointing run has gone down well in Barcelona. However the true value of his ‘hairdryer treatment’ will be seen on their return to work. Their next game is on the fourth of January against Las Palmas, which as they showed against Atletico Madrid, will be a tricky test.
