By Milcah Tanimu
Barcelona’s manager, Xavi Hernandez, has expressed his belief that the team is currently performing at its best level since he assumed the managerial role.
Xavi’s comments followed Barcelona’s impressive 5-0 victory over Antwerp in their Champions League opener on Tuesday. The team showcased a dominant performance with João Félix scoring twice, accompanied by goals from Robert Lewandowski, Gavi, and a Jelle Bataille own goal. This victory marked the second time in four days that Barcelona had secured a 5-0 win, following their triumph against Real Betis on Saturday.
Xavi expressed his satisfaction with the result and, more importantly, the team’s style of play. He took over as Barcelona’s coach in November 2021, leading the club to the LaLiga title in the previous season.
While analyzing the match, Xavi noted, “The early stages tonight were even because we didn’t press high well, but from the 20th minute, I thought we controlled the game. We dominated possession, recovered balls high, and attacked well positionally.”
He also highlighted the positive impact of certain players on the team’s performance, saying, “Obviously the level of the team goes up when [Ilkay] Gündogan plays, [João] Cancelo knows what we want, and Félix has started well. I think these last two games are the best level we have shown with me in charge. It’s the path to follow.”
Xavi’s optimism about the team’s performance and style of play suggests that Barcelona is on the right track in their pursuit of success in the Champions League and other competitions.
