Xavi one day from Barcelona vs Bayern Munich: “We have prepared the game to win”

A decisive duel for FC Barcelona and Xavi Hernández knows it. The Barça coach was optimistic about his team’s options to win at the Allianz Arena – something he has never achieved – and qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League.

“Tomorrow we can make history. Why not think about Barça’s first ever victory in Munich? We have prepared the game to win “, he stressed at the press conference prior to the meeting.

Bayern Munich are classified, so it is possible that there are many changes, despite the fact that Julian Nagelsmann indicated that they will go out with their best team; but, in case it happens, Xavi maintained that this does not play in favor of his team “because there will be perhaps less common players who will want to show themselves for their coach.”

And he does not consider that the fact that the meeting is played behind closed doors will benefit them due to the increase in covid cases in Germany: “It will make it a very cold game, and it already is because of the low temperatures. I don’t see any benefit for us ”.

Although he admitted that his Barça will have to play “a perfect match” at the Allianz Arena to win, the Barça coach insisted that it is possible to achieve it. And, in addition, he announced that his team will try to be true to his style.

“We will try to compete with our weapons. We will go out to dominate the game through the ball, to be protagonists. And after the crash we will see how we have been and if Bayern has hurt us footballingly. I don’t see it as such a miracle, we can win anyone ”, he said.

Of course, Xavi is aware that one of the keys to achieving victory will be to neutralize Robert Lewandowski, one of the most fit forwards in world football.

“If it is not the best of today, one of the best. The numbers are there. He has been making a difference for years. Not only goals, he does many things well: he unloads, plays first, moves well … in the area he is lethal. We want a defense with a higher block than a low one and try to get it out of the area ”, he said.

In the emotional aspect, Xavi trusts that his players forget the last goals conceded against the German team. “I hope that the last defeats against Bayern do not affect us psychologically. The players have to forget everything, that’s my mission, “he said.

Finally, the Catalan coach downplayed the “small annoyances” that Jordi Alba has dragged on since last Saturday’s game against Betis.

“It seems that he is fine, now he will train. Let’s see how he is in the morning, what are his feelings. He wants to play and has a lot of commitment. I am very positive, “he concluded.