Xavi Hernandez
Barcelona coach, Xavi Hernandez, says his side is the most difficult club to manage in the world.
Barca faces Eintracht Frankfurt in the second leg of their Europa League quarterfinal at Camp Nou today, after a 1-1 draw in Germany last week.
Xavi, who has taken Barca from ninth in La Liga to second since replacing Ronald Koeman in November, has warned his players that a scrappy win is never enough, even if it does seal a place in the last four.
“We are obliged to win and play well,” the Barcelona coach said in a news conference on Wednesday. “This is Barca. A 1-0 in the 90th minute is not enough, we know this.
“For those that know the club, it’s about excellence in everything we do. That’s why this is the most difficult club in the world. There is no comparison. There is no other club in the world like this, [with that] demand to win playing well. It is very difficult,” he added.
Barca has dropped out of the Champions League into the Europa League this season, making it hard for supporters of the club to take.
Meanwhile, they had to watch on as their rivals, Real Madrid, beat Chelsea after extra time on Tuesday to reach the semifinal of the Champions League, a competition Los Blancos have won three times since Barca’s last European trophy in 2015.
Xavi has made a positive impact since becoming Barcelona’s head coach in November.
However, Xavi said Madrid’s success has no influence on the Catalan club.
“Our history demands [that we play well and win],” he added. “We don’t look at Madrid to make demands of ourselves. Since Cruyff arrived 40 years ago, the bar was set at winning playing well.
“If not, we’re not happy. That’s how the Catalans are. I don’t know about Madrid. They are a spectacular opponent with a competitive gene. Their spirit is to be admired, but it has nothing to do with Barca. They are different stories.”