FC Barcelona head coach Xavi Hernandez has confessed that Real Madrid is currently better than his team and that he is “crazy” to beat the Catalans’ eternal enemy and win the Spanish Super Cup on Sunday.
The KSU Stadium in Riyadh will see a repeat of the 2023 final when Barca came out on top 3-1 winners.
And while the Blaugrana went on to win La Liga that term, the two sides are in different moments now with Barca struggling in fourth after falling into a slump following October’s 2-1 defeat in El Clasico.
Madrid top the Spanish championship, and it isn’t lost on Xavi that his men come into the Super Cup decider slightly weaker than Los Blancos.
“The team is very motivated, very excited. There is no better scenario for a footballer. Trying to put in a great performance: we have the example of last season, which is the ideal game.
“Dominating the game, imposing our identity and dominating with the ball is the ideal scenario. We arrive a hair less in good shape than Madrid, that’s the reality. But it’s all 50/50 when the ball rolls. We’re where we want to be.”
Xavi has faced scrutiny for a recent dip in form and was asked what’s at stake here.
“I’m playing for a title. I arrive more relaxed. We’ve shown that we have a winning project and Madrid is clearly hungry. They always are. Madrid reacts even more when they see a strong Barca that can compete with them. Tomorrow is an ideal scenario: I’m crazy about this title,” he confessed.
Commenting more specifically on Madrid’s moment, Xavi said: “I have the feeling that Madrid is stronger when Barca is stronger. If we’ve won a title, we’ve had to go through Madrid. At the end of the Super Cup, in the Cup, in La Liga. They also react when they see a strong Barca. It’s all very even.”
On whether he will return to the system that has four midfielders and someone such as Pedri as a false left winger, Xavi insisted that a decision on this won’t be made depending on the Spain international.
“The idea is very clear to me,” Xavi said. “Having the ball, dominating regardless of whether we play with three, with four, five or six midfielders does not change our DNA, which [Johan] Cruyff instilled 30 years ago. We look for that path and that that’s the idea. [To be] faithful to Cruyffism.”
Xavi bit when he was pushed to comment on whether he would take a win without deserving it.
“But when have we won without deserving it?” he fired back.
“What usually happens to us is the opposite. It’s only happened to us in Anoeta [against Real Sociedad this season] – one game out of 200 we won a match we didn’t deserve to. Therefore, [we must] be true to our identity.”
