Barca’s Xavi hails rivals Madrid ahead of Clasico
Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez praised rivals Real Madrid ahead of their Clasico show- down in La Liga today.
Los Blancos lead the Spanish top flight by eight points with champions Barcelona needing a victory at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday to stand any chance of retaining the trophy.
After Barcelona crashed out of the Champions League against Paris Saint-Germain and Madrid beat holders Manchester City in midweek, Xavi acknowledged the record 14-time winners’ quality.
“When you have won so many times you play with more calm, less desperation, more confidence, they are a very good team,” Xavi said.
“In the end people say it’s luck, I don’t believe much in luck – I think it’s effort, defensive work, the solidarity they showed, everyone working so hard.
“The three up front worked harder than ever, Man City missed some clear chances but that’s football, it’s not luck that Madrid have knocked out the best team in the world twice in three years.”
Xavi said he was not throwing in the towel in La Liga despite Madrid’s significant advantage.
“For us it’s the most important game of the season, we have to win to put pressure on the leader,” he added.
“We have enormous respect for Real Madrid, they’ve lost just one game out of 31, their numbers are extraordinary.
“We don’t have bad numbers in La Liga, we’ve got four points
Heidenheim vs Leipzig ........... 1-2 Cologne vs Darmstadt ........... 0-2 Hoffenheim vs Gladbach ........ 4-3 Wolfsburg vs Bochum ............ 1-0 U. Berlin vs B. Munich ............ 1-5
W. Bremen vs Stuttgart ..... 15.30 Dortmund vs Leverkusen...17.30 Freiburg vs Mainz ............... 19.30
Bayer Leverkusen 79; Bayern Munich 66; Stuttgart 63; Leipzig 59; Borussia Dortmund 56; Eintracht Frankfurt 45; Augsburg, Hoffenheim, Freiburg 39; Heidenheim less than when we were leaders last season (at this stage).”
Xavi’s counterpart at Real Madrid, Carlo Ancelotti, said his team could strike a killer blow in the title race.
“It’s a great chance for us to get closer to winning La Liga, but we know it’s hard because
34; Borussia Gladbach, Werder Bremen, Wolfsburg 31; Union Berlin 29; Bochum 27; Mainz 26; Cologne 22; Darmstadt 17.
C. Vigo vs Las Palmas ............ 4-1 R. Vallecano vs Osasuna ....... 2-1 Valencia vs R. betis ................ 1-2 Girona vs Cadiz ....................... 4-1
Getafe vs R. Sociedad ........ 14.00 Almeria vs Villareal ............ 16.15 Alaves vs A. Madrid ............ 18.30 R. Madrid vs Barcelona ...... 21.00
Barcelona are a very competitive side,” said the Italian.
“We are very close if we are capable of winning ... it will be the usual Clasico, a hardfought, equal game.”
Ancelotti said defender Ferland Mendy was tired after the win over City and was given an extra day of rest, but the rest of
Sevilla vs Mallorca ............. 21.00
Real Madrid 78; Barcelona 70; Girona 68; Atletico Madrid 61; Athletic Bilbao 58; Real Sociedad 50; Real Betis 48; Valencia 47; Villarreal, Getafe, Osasuna 39; Las Palmas 37; Sevilla, Rayo Vallecano 34; Deportivo Alaves 32; Celta Vigo, Mallorca 31; Cadiz 25; Granada 18; Almeria 14.
Nantes vs Rennes .................. 0-3
his squad was fit, beyond the long-term absentees.
Madrid are aiming to win a league and Champions League double for the fifth time in their history.
“The cake is prepared and we have to put the cherry on top this month,” said Ancelotti.
“We’re very well positioned.”
Lens vs Clermont ................... 1-0
PLAYING TODAY – 15.00
Le Havre vs Metz ......................... Lille vs Strasbourg ...................... Reims vs Montpellier ................... Brest vs Monaco ................. 17.05 Toulouse vs Marseille ........ 19.00 PSG vs Lyon ........................ 21.00
Paris Saint Germain 63; Brest 53; Monaco 52; Lille 49; Nice 47; Lens 46; Rennes 42; Olympique Lyon 41; Reims 40; Olympique Marseille 39; Toulouse, Strasbourg 36; Montpellier 33; Nantes 31; Le Havre 28; Metz, Lorient 26; Clermont Foot 22.
NEXT FIXTURES
15.00 Inter vs Torino; Lecce vs Monza; 18.00 Juventus vs Milan; 20.45 Lazio vs Verona.
15.00 Bologna vs Udinese; 18.00 Atalanta vs Empoli; Napoli vs Roma. 20.45 Fiorentina vs Sassuolo.
20.45
Cagliari. Genoa vs
Bari vs Pisa ............................. 1-1 Brescia vs Ternana ................. 0-0 Feralpisalo vs Como .............. 2-5 Ascoli vs Modena ................... 0-0 Spezia vs Sampdoria ............. 0-0 Catanzaro vs Cremonese ....... 0-0 Lecco vs Venezia .................... 1-2 Sudtirol vs Cittadella ............. 0-0
Parma 70; Como 67; Venezia 64; Cremonese 60; Catanzaro 56; Palermo 52; Brescia 46; Sampdoria 45; Pisa, Cittadella 44; Sudtirol 43; Modena, Reggiana 40; Cosenza 39; Ternana 37; Spezia, Bari 36; Ascoli 34; FeralpiSalo 31; Lecco 26.