Barca face game of the season manager Xavi
Barcelona’s Champions League last-16 second leg tie at home to Napoli will be their most important game of the season, manager Xavi Hernández said on Monday.
The first leg was 1-1, and Barca on Tuesday have a chance to reach the quarterfinals for the first time since 2020 after failing to get past the group stage in the past two seasons.
The last time they won a Champions League knockout game was in a 3-1 home win over Napoli in 2020. With the club third in LaLiga, eight points behind leaders Real Madrid, Europe is now the priority.
“The most important game of the season? Yes it is, and we’re ready, we’re excited,” Xavi said.
“It’s been four years since we’ve been in the quarterfinals and that’s how we see it, we want to compete against an opponent who, though they are not going through the best moment, have the base of the [2023] Scudetto champion.”
Barca’s title defence looks likely to end in failure while Napoli’s is already over, with the Serie A champions seventh in the standings and 31 points adrift of leaders Inter Milan.
Francesco Calzona took over in February, Napoli’s third manager this season, and they are undefeated in their five games since then.
“Napoli have improved with the new coach, who is more dynamic and comfortable,” Xavi said. “I expect a brave Napoli that plays from the back and presses high, that doesn’t speculate, has a lot of individual talent. It’s a big game and it’s a great team, current champions of Italy.”
Barcelona have struggled with injuries of late, with Frenkie de Jong and Pedri among those unavailable, and Xavi confirmed that forward Ferran Torres, who has missed the last seven games with a hamstring problem, is still not ready to return.
The manager hopes to have Torres back for their next league game at Atletico Madrid on Sunday but for now is not looking for any excuses.
“Our absences are important but we have to compete. We were better there [away to Napoli] and we have to be better here,” he said. “It’s a chance to be in the quarterfinals, it’s a chance to turn the tables. The absences are not an excuse, we’re not afraid of failing,”
In the other match on Tuesday, Porto take a 1-0 lead to The Emirates to face Arsenal, who failed to have a shot on target in the first leg and conceded a lastminute goal in Portugal.
On the domestic front Arsenal top the Premier League following a run of victories, a glut of goals and Sunday’s draw between Liverpool and Manchester City.
But Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta will be out to prevent the Gunners suffering an eighth successive Champions League exit at the last-16 stage.
Only once in their past 10 attempts have Arsenal managed to progress in the Champions League after losing the first leg, though that triumph came against Porto in the 2009-10 campaign, which remains the most recent occasion the Gunners reached the quarterfinals.
SPANISH GIANTS HAVE A CHANCE TO REACH QUARTERFINALS FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2020