The reception of FC Porto on Tuesday during the 5th day of the Champions League is a “vital” match for FC Barcelona, which is aiming for first place in its group, assured Blaugrana coach Xavi Hernandez on Monday.
After a humiliating defeat against Shakhtar Donestk (1-0) when they had the opportunity to validate their ticket for the round of 16, Barça must bounce back to ensure they finish first in Group H. “It’s a very important, vital match. In case of victory we would ensure that we finish first, after two years without being able to qualify for the eighth,” Xavi declared at a press conference, while the two teams are tied on points (9).
In full doubt, the Catalans are on a tightrope in the league (4th, four points behind Real Madrid) after a worrying draw on the lawn of Rayo Vallecano (1-1). They have no other choice than to approach this C1 meeting “like a final” according to Portuguese full-back Joao Cancelo, to leave behind the “ghosts” of recent European eliminations.
This will require “being very demanding of ourselves and being self-critical, because we are no longer at the level we were at a month and a half or two months ago,” said Xavi. “We must redouble our efforts, rediscover our high pressing, our positional play and our winning mentality, and be more compact,” added the Catalan technician, much criticized in Spain for the poverty of his team’s play.
“We need to be more focused. We offered a lot of things (to opponents) this season. Last year, we didn’t give up anything and that’s why we got better results,” he continued.
Deprived of its Spanish prodigy Gavi until the end of the season, Barça could also have to do without its German goalkeeper Marc-André Ter Stegen, injured in the back in the selection. “Ter Stegen will be tested tomorrow to see how much pain he is in and if he is ready for the match. He has hardly trained with the group but he is always there to bring something extra to the team” according to his coach.