February 17 News Barcelona coach Xavi attended the post-Europa League press conference with Manchester United
How to watch this game:
The game was close, I think Manchester United is a very good and very personable opponent, very hard working, very good physical confrontation.
But we also dominated at many stages of the game with good chances on both sides.
Overall, my feeling is that Barcelona could have won, we could have scored the last goal.
But I also said that there is a high probability that the final round of this round will be decided at Old Trafford, and the result is indeed the case.
We worked hard throughout the game, the process was wonderful, and the attitude of the players was very good.
But the draw is not decisive, our goal now is to go away and advance to the next round in Manchester.
Barcelona’s best performance today was the period of desperate attack at the last moment, and the worst was the problem of playing the ball in the backcourt?
Yes, in the final analysis, the opponent keeps pressing us, making it difficult for us to play the ball, but we also take the initiative a lot of time, advancing the game to the opponent’s half, and there are many opportunities, which also come from our counter-attack.
Of course, Manchester United’s players are excellent, and many of their key choices and judgments in the game are excellent.
Overall, Manchester United is a very good opponent, one of the best teams in Europe today.
How is Pedri doing?
I don’t know for the time being, I need to be checked tomorrow, but for the time being, it’s a problem with the quadriceps.
Rafinha was very angry after being replaced, do you understand that?
Totally understand, I have always said with the players, I totally understand their anger, I am also angry when I am substituted.
But my substitutions are for the team, not for anyone.
I understand Rafinha, he also apologized to me.
I think this is a good thing. It shows that the players want to play and play an important role. This is a good thing.
A lot of fans booed Rafinha when he was substituted, do you understand?
I think everyone may think that it is a bad thing for Rafinha to be angry, but I think it is a good thing. I have always said that a player should be angry when he is replaced, and he should get angry at the coach.
Of course, you can’t come across as uneducated or undisciplined, but there’s nothing wrong with being angry.
If Rafinha wanted to, he could call me out, and to be honest, that’s something I’ve learned from a lot of coaches.
We saw that you and the referee continued to negotiate after the game. What did you talk to the referee at that time?
I told the referee that Fred’s handball at the end was a penalty.
Did you see the replay?
Yes, it’s clear, I told the referee, it’s a clear penalty.
But this is my own opinion. The referee said it was a natural extension, but I don’t think so.
It seems that this season Barcelona does have a lot of problems with the penalty in the European war:
I think this penalty is too obvious, like a church was built on the pitch. It was like this in the previous game against Inter Milan. It is still like this today, I don’t know.
I don’t know how to do handball is a penalty, incredible, I asked the referee, the referee said he saw it, but it was not a penalty.
Incredible.
Last question, Manchester United did not concede the third goal, but Barcelona actually almost conceded the third:
Our goal is to win, Ferran’s shot was very close, and Araujo’s chance.
It’s a pity that we didn’t win. The game was at the European level, very exciting and intense.
Now there is no Gabi, there is a high probability that there will be no Pedri, and the second round will go to Manchester, how do you feel?
First of all, the second leg at Old Trafford will definitely be more intense and the pressure will be greater.
We could have won today’s game, that’s how I feel, we could have won.
Now we go away to see how it turns out.
But it was a close game today, Manchester United is the best team in Europe right now, I am proud of the draw.
Today you started with Alonso and Alba, why?
We haven’t changed much, just adjusted the players for the purpose of rotation, because some players are tired, and it’s a pity that Pedri was injured today, because the current schedule is really tight.
So we need to rotate more, we need to rest players to avoid injury problems.
Pedri’s injury is a pity, but Alba and Alonso’s performance is very good, especially in the second half as a winger is very important, Manchester United is a very strong opponent, their pressing puts a lot of pressure on us, their
Presence is important to us.
Rashford came to the midfield today, and Sancho left. Is this arrangement a bit beyond your expectations?
No, we actually want to surprise our opponents more, so we let Conde and Alonso serve as central defenders, because they are left-footed and right-footed respectively, which is convenient for the ball, and Conte is the third person.
The feeling is very familiar, and I usually cooperate with Pedri a lot.
I think our strategy today is fine, it is to create surprises for our opponents.
Of course, Manchester United has its own strategy and personnel, and Mr. Ten Hag is also an excellent coach.
If Pedri really has a one-month truce as the current news says, how do you think this problem will be solved?
We have replacements, De Jong, Casey, Gabi, Torre.
Of course, Pedri is very important to us, but we will try our best to ensure that Pedri’s injury does not affect the team.
Gaby is suspended, you hope the cloth