Xavi hails underfire Barcelona duo after 4-0 win over Elche: “They made the difference” | OneFootball

Barcelona resumed the defence of their La Liga title after the international break with a resounding 4-0 victory over bottom-feeders Elche CF at Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero on Saturday night.

While there were some nervy moments early on, the Blaugrana soon found their feet and Robert Lewandowski handed them the lead in the first half. Ansu Fati doubled Barça’s advantage ten minutes into the second half before Lewandowski grabbed his second of the night.

On the 70th-minute mark, Ferran Torres found the back of the net as well to add more sheen to the scoreline and help Barcelona stretch their lead atop the table to 15 points, although it could be temporary.

Speaking after the match, manager Xavi Hernandez praised the duo of Fati and Torres, who got rare starts on Saturday and took the opportunity with a goal each.

“Ferran and Ansu made the difference. I’m very happy for them because they needed a bit of confidence,” Xavi said. “I’m very happy with Ferran and Ansu. They will score more goals for sure.”

Ansu Fati, in particular, had all eyes on him heading into the game after his father’s explosive interview earlier in the week. And, Xavi acknowledged that the 20-year-old needed that goal more than anything, as he said:

“Ansu needed that goal. Forwards change their faces when they score, you can tell. He was very tired at the end, because he worked very hard for the team in defence. The goal is the result of his hard work and individual talent.”

The Barcelona manager was also full of praise for Ferran’s work ethic, saying: “Ferran always works hard. It’s an honor to coach him because he’s an honest and hardworking player.”

For Saturday’s match, Xavi made a bold decision of deploying Eric Garcia as the pivot midfielder, opting to leave captain Sergio Busquets out. Explaining the big call, the manager revealed that it was Jordi Cruyff’s idea to use Garcia as the defensive midfielder.

“It was Jordi Cruyff’s idea to test out Eric García as a pivot. We had a friendly match with the B team and Eric did well as a pivot, with a great performance today as well. We could have a great pivot,” he said.

“Eric looked very relaxed today. I think that he played very well in a new position for him. We’ll see in the future,” Xavi added.

Talking about the performance, the result, and what it meant for the team, the Barça head coach said: “This is an important step forward for our goal, which is to win La Liga. A solid performance all around. We knew what we had to do and we did it. A great match.”

“Watching videos is very important. It helps the players see and understand how they develop. In game situations, how they need to control their body,” he added.

The game was a memorable occasion for youngster Aleix Garrido as he got to make his first-team debut for Barcelona. And Xavi revealed that he admires the teenager a lot and would have handed him his debut much earlier if not for an injury.

“Aleix Garrido is a Barça profile for sure. He has a great last pass, and is a superior player technically. He’s got time, but I love him. Aleix Garrido was injured. That’s why he hadn’t made his first-team debut before. I love him,” he said.

Xavi also expressed his pleasure at having so many versatile players such as Marcos Alonso, Frenkie de Jong and Sergi Roberto at his disposal, saying:

“It’s amazing to have so many versatile players. Sergi can play in several positions, Frenkie too. Marcos Alonso is excellent as a centre-back.”

Frenkie de Jong, though was unavailable for last night’s clash due to injury and Xavi was coy on whether the Dutchman will return for next week’s El Clasico, as he said: “We’ll see if Frenkie can play next week. It depends on his sensations. I hope we do.”

Source: BarçaTV+