Barcelona’s head coach, Xavi Hernandez, has revealed that the destiny of the club’s season hinges on the outcome of the next two matches.
Currently trailing La Liga leaders Girona by eight points and sitting seven points behind second-placed Real Madrid, Xavi’s team faces a crucial period. The upcoming fixtures include an away clash with Real Betis in the league on Sunday and a Copa del Rey quarter-final against Athletic Club in Bilbao on Wednesday.
Xavi acknowledged the significance of these matches, stating, “These next games will mark the season, but also if we have good results with Betis [in La Liga] or Athletic [in the Copa]. They are a rival that we did not want in the Cup but we will compete. But first, Betis. Everything at Barça is determined by the next few days. It’s always the same.”
Despite the challenging situation, Xavi expressed optimism about closing the eight-point gap and defending the La Liga title.
“We will enter the second half of the season with optimism. The situation is not easy; it is really difficult because of the big gap between us and Real and Girona. But closing that gap to win the championship is possible, and we will try,” the Spanish coach affirmed.