Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez has said he maintains the club’s backing despite exiting the Champions League at the group stage for the second season running.
Xavi, who replaced Ronald Koeman a year ago, was given over €150 million to spend on transfers in the summer, with Robert Lewandowski, Jules Kounde and Raphinha among the players to arrive, only to see the team come up short in Europe once again.
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Defeats to Bayern Munich and Inter Milan have yielded criticism but, despite the prospect of Europa League football in the New Year, Xavi insists there are plenty of reasons for Barca to be optimistic.
“I feel the belief in what we are doing,” Xavi said in a news conference on Friday.
“There is complete confidence in the project. The expectations are high and it’s not what we hoped for, going out of the Champions League. We have to accept the criticism and work hard.
“There are no doubts results will come. I have the confidence of the president [Joan Laporta], the board and [directors of football] Mateu [Alemany] and Jordi [Cruyff]. There is nothing for it but to keep working hard.
“We are doing well. That could be seen in Munich and in performances against Athletic [Bilbao], Villarreal, Real Sociedad, Sevilla … Results cannot be a distraction. We can’t change course from the ideas we have. Results will come and, if they don’t, another coach will come in — that’s the law of life.”
