The Barcelona coach shared Laporta’s optimism for the club’s future while warning Dembele before deciding on his future.
The head coach is calm and waiting on an update
Xavi Hernandez spoke to the press ahead of Barcelona’s Copa del Rey fixture with Linares Deportivo, and he has commented on Ousmane Dembele’s situation, as well as responding to comments made by the club president Joan Laporta. The Barcelona coach shared Laporta’s optimism for the club’s future while warning Dembele before deciding on his future. “I have already said it to him; I am waiting for him to make an effort,” Xavi told the press. “The situation cannot be better for him. Let’s see what he decides. I’m hoping that he puts in the effort before deciding. I am calm and waiting on an update. It does not depend on me. It depends on the club and him. He should think about himself and his future.”
Little by little, Barcelona are getting back to where they want to be
Laporta has been in the news for making bold comments about the return of Barcelona as one of Europe’s greatest sides, stating that they can compete in the transfer market once again, despite their well-known financial difficulties. The coach shares his plan to re-establish Barcelona after several tough seasons. “The objective is to come back,” Xavi started. “We were ninth, and now we are fifth. Little by little, we are getting back to where we want to be. The fans are relieved when they see the likes of Ferran Torres signing for us in the winter market. We are still working hard. You have to follow the president; he leads the way. I share his optimism, and I can relate with the president’s character. I like his ambition; he’s a fearless guy. We are working on it, and we are close to the Champions League places.”
Xavi is expecting a tough game
“It is not easy, but we will work hard to get Barcelona back to where it belongs.” However, the here and now is that Barcelona will face Linares Deportivo next in the Copa del Rey, a team and competition that Xavi has a lot of respect for. “I’m expecting a tough game; it’s a one-leg fixture,” the Barcelona coach explained. “They are a good team with a good coach. They work well in their transitions. We know how hard these games are, and they sometimes favour smaller sides. We are the favourites, and we have to win. They will be very motivated to beat us.” Xavi was also asked how much priority he puts on winning the Copa del Rey with Barcelona. “It’s the same as if we were top of the table,” Xavi explained. “We are going to give it our all.”
“Linares do many things very well; we saw this in their game against Barcelona B. We aim to win the cup, regardless of other competitions, as we are the holders.”