Barca vs Cadiz: Xavi’s Pre-Match Press Conference

Xavi spoke about the game against Cadiz, Griezmann’s situation, Alba’s statement, Roberto’s fitness, rotations against Cadiz, the double pivot of Frenkie and Kessie, and Christensen’s role as a pivot for Denmark in his pre-match press conference.

Xavi on the game against Cadiz:

“We play against a difficult opponent who plays defensively. We have struggled against them in the last 4 games. We will try to get the three points.”

Xavi on the upcoming match against Bayern:

“Right now we are focusing on Cadiz, we have to stay humble and keep working. Our target right now is to win the 3 points.”

“The players are working hard and they try to give their best when they play.”

Xavi on Jordi Alba’s statement:

“We understand Jordi Alba’s statement, he’s a hard worker. Everyone has their personal opinions. The most important thing is that he’s a professional, he trains well, and is one of the leaders of our team.”

Xavi on Griezmann’s situation at Atletico Madrid:

“Griezmann keeps getting subbed on with 30 minutes left? That’s a question you can ask Diego Simeone. Griezmann was not my player at any point. The matter is between the two clubs, and it’s none of my business. We think Griezmann is an Atletico Madrid player.”

Xavi on rotations and squad depth:

“We have good depth in all positions, that’s exactly what I wanted. I’m having trouble managing minutes per player, but it’s a good headache to have.”

Xavi on the plan to resolve defensive issues:

“We are working very hard defensively, attempting to avoid rebounds, and lose possession by getting pressed. We’re trying to implement defensive and attacking plans, the team is developing in this regard.”

Xavi on Bellerin and Alonso:

“Bellerin and Alonso will be on the squad list for tomorrow. They are training well.”

Xavi on Haaland or Lewandowski:

“Who do I prefer, a young player like Haaland or an experienced one like Lewandowski? It’s hard to say, each player has a different personality. Lewandowski is a humble person who encourages young players. We are lucky to have him.”

Xavi on Alba’s reduced minutes:

“I’ve been very clear with every player, and I’m trying to be honest with them. I spoke with Alba, and I like speaking to players to understand how they feel. There is competition and every player has to prove themselves.”

Xavi on Dembele:

“Dembélé is an important player for us, he exploits spaces well, and scores and assists. He’s always been a part of my plans.”

Xavi on unblocking Cadiz’s defensive low block:

“We want to find ways to beat Cadiz, we aren’t focused on looking at the level of Real Madrid or Atlético. We focus on ourselves, after which we focus on Bayern and then Elche.”

Xavi on Sergi Roberto’s fitness:

“Roberto is fine, he’s doing well and I’m happy with him. He’s working hard and he can play in any position. I don’t know if he will be ready for tomorrow’s match, but he will be ready for the UCL fixture next week.”

Xavi on Gerard Pique’s situation:

“I spoke with Pique, and the current situation isn’t easy for him. He played well against Viktoria Plzen and put in a great shift. I rely on Pique.”

Xavi on Ferran Torres:

“He attacks the spaces well, and in the last match, he scored a good goal. He’s a hard worker, and he’s confident in himself.”

Xavi on the options for the position of Pivot:

“We have a lot of options in the Pivot. Busquets is very important for that role, but we also have Frenkie and Kessié. We line up every match according to the opponent we face.”

Xavi on Pedri’s rotations:

“We will decide that tomorrow, we’ll decide after training. There are some players who have a heavy workload, but Pedri is doing really well and helps the team a lot.”

Xavi on Christensen’s role as a Pivot for Denmark:

“Christensen has played as a pivot at Denmark and did well there.”

That concluded Xavi’s press conference.