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Barcelona faces tomorrow one of the most important matches since Xavi landed at the Camp Nou. After drawing 1-1 against the Naples, the azulgrana team needs a victory to go through the round. win the Europa League it grants a place in next year’s Champions League and would wipe out the club’s early elimination losses in the group stage of the continental tournament. Falling eliminated would be a new failure that would force the Catalans to be among the top four classified in the League to be able to play in the Champions League. The coach spoke to the press before training at the Diego Armando Maradona and assured that this game will be a touchstone, as well as making it clear that only victory is worth more than playing well or badly.
“We would face this game the same way with 3-1 or 2-1. We have to dominate. Napoli will put pressure on us and it will be a very intense game. tomorrow will be a football war. Whoever has the ball will have more numbers to win. The fans will be intense. It’s a shame not to do homework at home. You have to be brave and create chances. We are taking steps forward, but tomorrow will be a complicated test. We are hopeful and we are excited”, explained the player from Egar, who knows that you cannot fail: “Every game is a final. More if we didn’t do our homework at home. We have to play it in his field. It is another revalidation, another final. We are motivated that we can compete. We must not have complexes, we have to be ourselves. We are making progress and this is the way. I’m worried because it’s the next game.”
Xavi analyzed the Italian game and tried to make a reading of what he expects tomorrow. “I think they will push hard. Then we will see in the game and if we force them to play in their field. That’s what we want. It will not be easy because they pose high pressure. It will be a battle of who has the ball and possession. It is Europe and it is difficult. Napoli have Champions level, but it is a good test to prove that Barça can compete in Europe », he pointed out. And he assured that he does not contemplate being eliminated so soon: «It would be a big disappointment. We are very excited about this competition. We want to compete in Europe against a big rival like Napoli. We did well in the first leg but we have to play it here. If we are at our level we have many options to pass the qualifiers. I predict a tough game.”
The coach considers that although the precious game is in his ideology, the important thing tomorrow is to win the game no matter what. «If you let me choose I want play well and winr. Playing well the consequence is the good result. There have been games, with me as coach, that we have played well and have not won. We are growing and this is about results, not sensations. The results are accompanying us at 50 percent », he lamented. And he judged Dembélé’s situation: «Let’s see. Ousmane’s contract ends in June. I see him happy and he has been a great professional. Knowing that he was not summoned, he has been a professional. He is taking care of himself, he trains well, he is positive with the group. Therefore we have decided to play with the team. If he had been a bad professional it would be something else. Let’s see what happens between now and the end of the season. He is a footballer that I like ».
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