Xavi Hernández guaranteed that Barcelona will stay with the Europa League: “The goal is to win it”

Barcelona ran out of chances of advancing to the round of 16 of the Champions League last week. Days after that discouraging news, it seems that the internals have already assimilated the fact that they will play the Europa League next year. In this sense, Xavi Hernández was clear in admitting that his team will lift that trophy.

After completing the group round of the Champions League (2-4 victory over Viktoria Plzen in the Czech Republic), the Barça coach quickly turned the page and is already thinking about the tournament whose definition will be at the Puskas Arena stadium in Budapest (Hungary) on May 31, 2023.

“Barça is one of the candidates to win the Europa League. The goal is to play the final and win it, and compete in it. We are obliged to play it well. The goal is to reach the final and win it. We are going to compete. It is a challenge for the club and for the team”expressed the coach of the Catalans at a press conference.

As it is remembered, in the previous campaign, Barcelona played the Europa League with Xavi on the bench. In the playoff stage, the Blaugrana left Napoli on the road, they did the same against Galatasaray in the round of 16, but did not go beyond the quarterfinals, as they fell against Eintracht Frankfurt, who won the cup.

When will the Europa League draw be?

The group stage of the tournament will end on November 3 and, after the dispute of all the commitments, the runners-up of each zone will go to the draw in which all those who occupied third place in the Champions League will also enter. That ceremony will take place from Nyon (Switzerland), on Monday, November 7.

When will Barcelona play the Europa League?

The blaugranes will return to continental action in February 2023. The first leg of the playoff elimination round will be played on Thursday the 16th and the rematch will be on Thursday the 23rd. At the moment, the Catalans do not know their rival, but it will be one of the the clubs that finish in second place in the group stage of the Europa League.