Barcelona-Inter, Xavi and Pedri: “We are irritated by the first leg”

“It’s a final”. Pedri and Xavi repeat it 4 times each in their respective Barça-Inter presentation press conferences, scheduled for tomorrow night at Camp Nou. “We are in a very uncomfortable situation in the group because we lost in Monaco and Milan, and for us tomorrow’s match is like the round of 32 of the competition, a direct match to continue,” adds Xavi.

ATTACK BETTER

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Pedri shows great confidence: “We have to win, we have the qualities to do it and I think we will”. Xavi defines himself as an “Optimist by nature”, he says he does not sign for the 1-0 and ‘Not even for the 2-0 “, and gives the keys to obtaining three points that are fundamental for this Barça:” We will have to attack better, a a bit like we did in the second part in Milan or in the first with Celta. Be more vertical, direct and get the ball back quickly. Inter are a defensive team and they know how to do it very well, but I don’t think they will spend the whole game in their area. When they attack, that will be the time for us to surprise them and find them a little less covered. Honestly, I don’t care how Inter play, with one less striker or one more midfielder. It is up to us to blow up their defense system ”. For Pedri, the tactical key lies in “a faster circulation of the ball, both horizontally, from one side to the other, and vertically”. To find Lewandowski: “That in the first leg, and also against Celta, he found himself a bit like an island: the more we find him, the better for everyone” adds Xavi.

INDIGNATION AND ANGER

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Pedri and Xavi reject the economic anxiety that accompanies this match, the elimination from the Champions League for this indebted Barça would be very harmful, and they think positive: “I see tomorrow’s game as an opportunity – says the coach – the opportunity to reverse the negative dynamics of the last few races, and to avenge what happened in Milan. We must transform into positive material, in a spirit of revenge, the indignation, more than justified, and the anger that we have accumulated in Milan, which we need to play better football, to attack as in the second half at San Siro. There I talked about the referees but for me it is over. Tomorrow we have to make a great performance so that the game does not depend on a decision by the referee. We can do it, and the audience will help us: the stadium is full and it will be a cauldron, we have to send people home happy. I don’t think about the consequences of a possible negative result, we want to win and stay in the Champions League “.