‘Sometimes I despair with the team’ – Xavi Hernandez admits exasperation with Barcelona players

Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez has admitted that like many of their fans this season, he loses patience with the Blaugrana side. Culers may point out that he is one of the few people that can do anything about it, although as Jules Kounde noted following their 3-1 Copa del Rey victory over Unionistas de Salamanca, it is the players that have to play the game.

Against Unionistas, Barcelona eventually ran out winners, having gone a goal down, but eventually turned it round. Few were ‘convinced’ by their performance again though.

“For spells we have played well, but at times we have to play better, sometimes I despair because we don’t do what we have to do. When I say that we are under construction, this is what I mean, that we have to do what we have to do every time,” Xavi told MD.

Xavi: "After Koundé's goal I turn to the bench to say it: in games like this you have to shoot from a distance. Koundé's goal is a great one, we have to dare more."

— barcacentre (@barcacentre) January 18, 2024

Xavi admitted that his side will always allow opportunities, but he was clear that some of the chances they were permitting were avoidable.

“It is impossible for the opposition not to create anything, because of the way we play, they will always have three or four, but it is true that you have to be more aggressive. There are some we have to stop. We had to match their aggressiveness, the courage, the soul, and on some occasions we lacked it.”

Real Betis await them at the Benito Villamarin on Sunday evening, in what is sure to be a swashbuckling tie, and a stern test of their reaction to Clasico defeat last Sunday.