Xavi: “We have players who are not neat; we are what we are”

Xavi spoke at a press conference at the end of the match. These were his impressions.

What did you think of the team?

We have to analyze where we come from and where we are. We have beaten the first ten classified of LaLiga in the second round. We have played difficult games. In some moments, excellently. Then we had a downturn in the game, but we are competitive in general. In fact, on the subject of the game we are not playing like before. We lose unnecessary balls to players who don’t usually do it. But the important thing is that the players do not lower their arms. We have been inconstant in recent months and that is why he has not given us titles. We have to be more constant and we have to improve that. That feeling that you lose balls makes us not be comfortable. You have to play easy. You lose a ball, because the next three have to be played easy. But we have players who are not neat at the moment. We are what we are right now. You have to play better to fight for titles. I think the season could have been much worse. It is time to assess the work. We have all made a great effort. It is a required minimum but we have to be realistic.

Do you think that next year they will be able to fight for LaLiga?

The season is not over yet. We are planning. The important thing is that we know the diagnosis. What are we missing, what is wrong with us? Now we will play with less pressure to get the second half. But we were in a difficult situation. We have to plan ahead for next year so that we can be competitive to win titles.

Is it a liberation for the locker room to have achieved this pass?

I am happy. Tomorrow or now on the plane we will see it repeated and we will analyze what we have lacked, which is perseverance. football issues. But this team has a competitive soul. In November we were not even in the Europa League, this has changed and the players have changed it.