Xavi criticized his players despite FC Barcelona’s victory over Almeria in La Liga on Wednesday.
FC Barcelona squandered their lead twice, but eventually managed to win 3-2 against Almeria, moving them up to third place in the standings. The mediocre performance against bottom side Almeria did not impress Xavi, who criticized his players for a lack of concentration and aggression. He even added that the current team was far from resembling that of 2010.
During the post-match press conference, the FC Barcelona coach said: “The first half is unacceptable and I told you so. Pressure and aggression were not acceptable. Either we run like animals or the ball doesn’t reach us. We don’t have the Barca of 2010. Last year we were aggressive and we had soul. We cannot give everything. Either we give our skin and our lives, or we will gain nothing. You have to wake up. If football doesn’t come, you have to come with your soul.
“We cannot target just one player. This is a general problem. The intensity of the first part and the second part have nothing to do with each other. Despite everything, we created two or three chances to score. We have to work like animals.”
He added : ” I’m not angry now. I complained about the lack of soul in my team. The ball is burning and they feel the pressure, but I have to be more demanding with the players while protecting them.”
The Catalan giants took three crucial points after losing their last three matches in all competitions, including defeats to Girona in La Liga and an embarrassing defeat to Antwerp in the Champions League.
