Xavi spoke about Ancelotti’s claims, the pressure of managing El Clasico, the overall performance of his team, the role of VAR, the disallowed offside goal, 12 points lead, and winning La Liga in his post-match press conference after the 2-1 win against Real Madrid.
Xavi on the pressure of managing El Clasico:
“As a manager, I am more nervous for El Clasico than I was as a player. I got chills with the crowd today. It’s a day for the team and the fans to enjoy.”
Xavi on starting Sergi Roberto ahead of Kessie:
“I had doubts about starting Sergi Roberto or Franck until the very last minute. In the end, I guess it went well because both scored.”
Xavi on the overall performance of his team:
“We were superior and the players deserved to win here. In the second half, we lost more duels, and it became more difficult, but the result is fair and I’m happy. Madrid knew how to play out of our press. The offside goal they scored came from our mistake, but I think that we were superior in general.”
Xavi on winning La Liga:
“We don’t feel like champions, but this is a very important step for us. The script has been perfect. The season is still not very good. We have only won the Super Cup as of now. At this point, the league can only be lost by us.”
Xavi on his team’s efforts:
“In this team, everyone runs, and everyone works. It’s something to be proud of. We have won many points, which means the team is working well. This dressing room is a family, we’re doing a very good job and I am proud of it.”
Xavi on his game plan against Real Madrid:
“The key in this match was to keep possession. We had a mature and responsible game. We avoided losing the ball in situations where Madrid could take advantage of us.”
Xavi on not valuing Sergi Roberto:
“I don’t know what to say about Sergi Roberto anymore. In another team, he’d be one of the most valued players, but here he’s heavily criticized. The problem with this club is that we don’t value players enough. Sergi Roberto is a role model, worthy of the MOTM award.”
Xavi on the outcome of the game:
“If Asensio’s goal had counted, that result would not have been fair. After Kessie scored, I felt that the win was fair and deserved. We were better than Real Madrid. The result is fair. The only thing that was unfair was their 0-1 lead.”
Xavi on Ancelotti’s claims:
“The offside is obvious. I’m shocked by Ancelotti’s statements. There is no debate. Clear offside. If people talk about VAR today, what a joke…”
Xavi on being 12 points ahead:
“Don’t congratulate me for winning La Liga. We have 12 matches left. Don’t forget where we come from. Last year, it was us who were 12 points behind.”
Xavi on Laporta:
“The president comes down to the dressing room after practically every match. I have no problem with that. We’re friends and we shared a big hug today. We’re both huge Culés and we deserve it.”
