Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez said he feels supported by the club after receiving the backing of president Joan Laporta on Monday ahead of a huge week for the Spanish champions on the pitch.
Barça host Porto in the Champions League on Tuesday and then welcome Atlético Madrid in LaLiga on Sunday on the back of just two wins in their last five matches in all competitions.
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A 1-1 draw against Rayo Vallecano at the weekend served to increase the pressure on Xavi, who recently penned a new contract until 2025, but he insists everyone at the club remains on the same page.
“I feel supported by the club in every sense,” the Barça boss said in a news conference. “I speak daily with the president and with [sporting director] Deco. They believe in the project and know how hard we work. There is complete confidence.
“I am the leader of this team and I believe in my players. I don’t feel alone. I have blind faith in my players and my staff. I have the confidence of Deco, the president, my staff and the players.
“The players believe in what we are doing. It will come together. And, if it doesn’t, we will have tried. Last year, things weren’t coming off either but they did in the end. I firmly believe things will come together.”
Speaking at the same time as Xavi, who led Barça to their first LaLiga since 2019 last season, Laporta offered the coach his support.
“We are all with Xavi and his staff,” the president told reporters. “For us, it’s an honour to have a coach like Xavi — as we have always said. We are completely with him and have full confidence in him.”
A win against Porto would ease the pressure on Xavi and see Barça book their spot in the round of 16 in the Champions League for the first time since 2021.
However, defeat would take their hopes of qualifying for the knockout stage to the final group game, when they travel to Antwerp, after they were beaten by Shakhtar Donetsk last time out.
“For us, it’s a vital, hugely important game,” Xavi added. “It’s in our hands to win the group. After two years [not getting out of the group], it’s a massive chance. We are playing at home, we will need our fans and I am hoping for a magical night.”
After dropping points against Rayo at the weekend, a result which saw Barça drop to fourth in the table, behind Girona, Real Madrid and Atlético, Xavi criticised the team’s mentality.
He called on his players to be braver from the get-go against Porto and Atlético this week, with surprise LaLiga contenders Girona next up in a fortnight.
“We have to go for games from the first minute,” Xavi said. “At the moment, we only react when it’s urgent. We have to be self-critical.
“We have lacked the right mentality, intensity, high pressing. We have to recover our positional play and our high press and bring back a winning mentality. I firmly believe we will get back to playing well. If not, I would not be here.”