Top Ad
I DIG Radio
www.idigradio.com
Listen live to the best music from around the world!
I DIG Style
www.idigstyle.com
Learn about the latest fashion styles and more...

Furious Xavi rips Barca's 'worst game of season'

Written by 
Published in Soccer
Sunday, 26 February 2023 13:07

An angry Xavi Hernandez slammed Barcelona for their "worst performance of the season" after losing 1-0 at Almeria and missing the chance to move 10 points clear of Real Madrid in LaLiga.

El Bilal Toure scored the only goal of the game to end Barca's 13-game unbeaten streak in LaLiga and hand the leaders just their second league defeat of the season.

- Marsden: Barca hand Madrid LaLiga lifeline with loss
- Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.)

The loss leaves Barca seven points clear of Madrid, who had been held to a 1-1 draw by Atletico Madrid on Saturday.

"I am really angry," Xavi said after the match. "It was the worst game of the season from my point of view, above all in the first half. It was a day to make a statement in LaLiga, and there is no excuse. There was no intensity, there was not even a desire to win, and that worries me. We slipped up and we apologise to the fans. If we want to win LaLiga, we have to change chip.

"Luckily we have a seven-point cushion, but we know it's going to be hard to win LaLiga. The first half is the thing that has most disappointed me this season. We showed faith in the second half, but the first half angered me."

The surprise loss caps a disappointing week for Barcelona, who were knocked out of the Europa League on Thursday by Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Things don't get any easier for the Catalans, who travel to face Madrid in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinal on Thursday. They will still be without Pedri and Ousmane Dembele -- who both missed the Almeria game with injuries -- at the Santiago Bernabeu, but Ansu Fati could return.

"Of course we will pick ourselves up," Xavi said. "People cannot think we will win LaLiga easily. It is going to be really hard to win trophies. We are competing against the current champion of LaLiga and the Champions League [Madrid]. We are Barca, but we have to play with more intensity and rhythm than this. It was a huge disappointment."

Midfielder Frenkie de Jong said Barca's performance at Almeria should not be attributed to a hangover from the United game or thoughts turning to the Copa Clasico prematurely.

"We have not thought about the Clasico," he told reporters. "LaLiga is very important and the next game is always the most important. ... Things just did not come off, especially in the first half. Now we have to keep going and work hard to improve.

"We are really disappointed. We had the chance to go 10 clear. Now it's still seven but ... we did not expect to lose this game."

It was a first-ever win for Almeria over Barcelona in 16 games, but more importantly, it ended a run of three successive defeats to move them out of the relegation zone.

"The win is what stays with us above all," coach Rubi said. "After three losses in a row, with teams at the bottom getting results elsewhere, we could have ended in the bottom three today. In addition, we had the best team in the league coming here, the leaders, and we managed to keep them out. We worked hard, so hard, not to leave them spaces."

Almeria held Barca to just one shot on target, while they had four, and Rubi said it was a performance to savour.

"When [teams are] crossing, crossing, crossing, I think we are OK," he said. "We didn't suffer in that area too much. I worried more when they played through the lines.

"We worked extraordinarily hard, scored a goal we have worked on and our goalkeeper has hardly had a save to make. Everything came off and it's a day we will remember for a long time."

Read 118 times

Soccer

U.S. youth Figueroa signs pro deal with Liverpool

U.S. youth Figueroa signs pro deal with Liverpool

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsUnited States youth international Keyrol Figueroa has signed a prof...

Mbappé takes blame for PSG: 'I didn't do enough'

Mbappé takes blame for PSG: 'I didn't do enough'

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsParis Saint-Germain superstar Kylian Mbappé gets the credit when hi...

U.N. proclaims May 25 as World Football Day

U.N. proclaims May 25 as World Football Day

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsFootball fans around the world will now have a day to celebrate the...

2026 FIFA


2028 LOS ANGELES OLYMPIC

UEFA

2024 PARIS OLYMPIC


Basketball

NBA confirms key illegal screen call on Turner

NBA confirms key illegal screen call on Turner

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsNEW YORK -- Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner was correctly called...

Nuggets' Murray fined, avoids suspension for toss

Nuggets' Murray fined, avoids suspension for toss

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsNuggets guard Jamal Murray was fined $100,000 but avoided a suspens...

Baseball

Rangers 'break out' in 10-run inning, roll past A's

Rangers 'break out' in 10-run inning, roll past A's

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsOAKLAND, Calif. -- Marcus Semien had four hits and five RBIs, and t...

Bellinger comes off IL, hits solo HR in Cubs' win

Bellinger comes off IL, hits solo HR in Cubs' win

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsCHICAGO -- The Chicago Cubs activated center fielder Cody Bellinger...

Sports Leagues

  • FIFA

    Fédération Internationale de Football Association
  • NBA

    National Basketball Association
  • ATP

    Association of Tennis Professionals
  • MLB

    Major League Baseball
  • ITTF

    International Table Tennis Federation
  • NFL

    Nactional Football Leagues
  • FISB

    Federation Internationale de Speedball

About Us

I Dig® is a leading global brand that makes it more enjoyable to surf the internet, conduct transactions and access, share, and create information.  Today I Dig® attracts millions of users every month.r

 

Phone: (800) 737. 6040
Fax: (800) 825 5558
Website: www.idig.com
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Affiliated