Xavi: 'Real can level the 11-point gap'
"It's not a gap that can't be bridged and overcome. There are still 17 games ahead," Xavi said after the 1-0 win over Villarreal in round 21 on the evening of February 12. "We are very happy to get very good results. It is extraordinary."
Yesterday, Barca won Villarreal 1-0 thanks to a goal from Pedri. After squabbling in the middle of the field, the ball passed Frenkie De Jong, Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski, and then the Spanish midfielder crossed the corner to defeat Pepe Reina in the face-to-face position.
This victory helps Barca have 56 points through 21 matches, widening the gap with Real to 11 points. This is the first time Barca has created such a gap with their rival in the same period in La Liga since the 2017-2018 season. At that time, Barca won the championship with 93 points, 17 points more than Real.
However, Real currently plays one game less than Barca. The royal team did not play in La Liga over the weekend to attend the FIFA Club World Cup - where they set a record for the fifth time crowned by defeating Saudi Al Hilal club 5-3 in the final at Prince Moulay Abdellah, Morocco.
Real will make up for round 21 against Elche on February 15, then play three El Clasico matches in 36 days. The army under Carlo Ancelotti will receive Barca at the Bernabeu in the first leg of the King's Cup semi-final on February 28, then the second leg at Camp Nou on April 4. In between is the confrontation in round 26 of La Liga at Camp Nou on March 19.
Xavi was happy with the victory to leave his great rival far behind, but was not pleased when his students missed many opportunities. On El Madrigal, Barca controlled the ball 46%, finished six times with four shots on target, including many opportunities to face. The main striker Robert Lewandowski twice shot inside the box, but both were saved by Reina. Raphinha also squandered when he missed the post in the face of the Villarreal goalkeeper.
"We have more opportunities to score more goals," said Xavi. "The whole team didn't finish well. Barca were an attacking team, even if they won with a minimum score. I see a lot of bad final picks, like incorrect or indecisive decisive pass. When not able to score more tables, you always have to suffer until the last minute".
According to Xavi, Pedri - the best player of the match - is a natural talent, always playing at the highest level to help Barca. The Spanish coach also praised midfielder Ronald Araujo for his "extraordinary" performance, while Frenkie de Jong is increasingly playing confidently and is a complete player in midfield.
Looking ahead to the Europa League, Xavi said the first leg of the play-off against Man Utd at Camp Nou on February 16 came "almost at the best moment of the season". He added: "Predicting the European game is difficult. We want to play well and get to the next round."
