Latest Barcelona News: Xavi has failed to take Barca past the group stages in the UCL during his tenure as manager
Barcelona is preparing for the upcoming season as their manager, Xavi Hernandez, is seeking new opportunities after their recent victory in La Liga, which they had been waiting for almost four years.
Undoubtedly, the primary goal is to win the Champions League, as the Spanish coach has failed to advance beyond the group stage in the past two seasons.
Xavi is currently reconstructing a team that is in need of a high-quality player to take the place of their longstanding pivot, as Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba are no longer available.
The main signing, apart from taking over for Busquets, will also be responsible for bringing calmness to the team during European matches. According to Xavi, Barca’s incomplete objective is to succeed in international competitions.
Over the course of two seasons, they have been unsuccessful in making it to the semi-finals of either the Champions League or Europa League.
Barcelona has not performed well in the Champions League, as they were knocked out in the group stage. Their best performance in the Europa League was reaching the quarter-finals, where they were defeated by Eintracht Frankfurt.
“Next year we have to compete in Europe, it’s our unfinished business,” said Xavi on TV3’s Gol a Gol.
“It’s a tough feeling not to be able to compete with the big teams.”
Xavi stated that the loss at the Bernabeu in October was a pivotal moment in the season.
During the game, Real Madrid dominated the team from Catalonia, but Ter Stegen’s efforts prevented a disastrous defeat.
“After the defeat at the Bernabeu, I met with the squad,” he said. “I asked the rest of the staff to leave me alone with the players, because in that game was the only one where I saw that there was a little bit of soul missing.”
“There was a lack of passion and those values I had asked for from the first day: attitude, respect and effort.”
“I noticed there was something wrong with the team and I met with them, for a long time. We said things to each other’s faces and there was a ‘before and after’ (following) that talk, it made us more united than ever.”
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