MY ACCOUNT
Xavi perfectly embodies the characteristics of Barcelona and has improved the Catalan giants since taking over, according to Real Madrid counterpart Carlo Ancelotti.
The pair are set to face off at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday in the third and final Clasico of the season, with Madrid boasting a 10-point lead at the LaLiga summit.
Barcelona are five points further back, albeit with a game in hand, in what has been a disappointing campaign on the whole for the club.
Results have improved over the past two months, however, with Xavi – appointed as Ronald Koeman’s successor in November – steadily transforming his side’s fortunes.
Since Xavi’s appointment, Barcelona have taken 34 points from 15 games in LaLiga, a record only bettered by Madrid since then (39 points).
Thursday’s 2-1 win over Galatasaray helped Xavi’s side through to the quarter-finals of the Europa League, meanwhile, and extended their unbeaten run to 11 matches.
That is Barca’s longest-such streak since January 2020 under Ernesto Valverde, giving Xavi’s side some momentum heading into their showdown with fierce rivals Madrid.
And Ancelotti, whose three defeats in five LaLiga meetings with Barca is his joint-worst against any side in LaLiga, along with Atletico Madrid, has been impressed by Xavi’s work.
“The identity of Barcelona has not changed,” he said at Saturday’s pre-match news conference. “They are a team with a very clear style and Xavi embodies it perfectly.
“Barcelona have improved a lot and they are in a good dynamic. My opinion is that he is doing very well.”
Xavi is still early in his coaching career, especially in comparison to veteran of the dugout Ancelotti, with Sunday’s clash his second taste of this historic fixture as a manager.
The midfield legend is aiming to avoid becoming only the third Barca boss, after Ernesto Valverde and Ronald Koeman, to lose his first two Clasicos this century.
Defeat for Barca would see them fall 18 points behind the leaders, but Ancelotti insists the game in the Spanish capital is not make-or-break for the visitors.
“If we win we have three more points; if we tie, one; if we lose, none,” he said. “I wouldn’t rule out Barcelona in any case, whatever happens. Because they will fight until the end.”
Should Barca avoid defeat, Xavi will become only the second Barca coach to go unbeaten in his first 10 LaLiga away games after Ernesto Valverde, who was unbeaten in 18.
