Xavi talks Frenkie de Jong, Pedri and Dembele after Barcelona beat Alaves | OneFootball

Barcelona bounced back to winning ways as they defeated Deportivo Alaves 1-0 at the Mendizorrotza Stadium on Sunday night in La Liga.

An 87th-minute strike from midfielder Frenkie de Jong was enough to get the Catalan giants over the line after another game where they were not at their best and were made to toil.

The victory sees Xavi Hernandez & co. move up to fifth place in the table, just a point shy of Atletico Madrid in fourth. Speaking after the contest, the manager conceded that it was a difficult place to visit, but was happy to bag three points.

“We suffered a little. We did, but the win is very important. We can be calm in that aspect. It’s not easy to win in this stadium at all. We’re happy with the effort we put in, and the three points,” Xavi said.

The 41-year-old also acknowledged that the Barcelona frontline was off-colour on the night and the team needed to play much better while admitting that the upcoming break would be good for the players.

“We’re not in an easy situation. We have to suffer. The three points are golden. The forwards haven’t played well. I know we have to play better. Much, much better. The break coming up is good for us. We need some rest. And we’re only 1 point away from the Champions League. We’re in the race,” he said.

Speaking of the goalscorer Frenkie de Jong, Xavi stated: “Frenkie deserved the goal for his efforts on the pitch. I’m happy for him.”

“There are very criticized players and the entourage does not help. Jordi Alba, Busquets, Piqué, and Frenkie played very well today. The Barça shirt weighs heavily. The Barça shirt weighs 20 kg more than any other one in the world,” he further added.

Pedri was one of Barcelona’s standout players on the night against Alaves and Xavi was full of praise for the young midfielder.

“Pedri is a wonderful footballer. At just 19 years old he does almost everything right. It’s excellence. Sometimes we joke to him: ‘Where did you come from? What school?’ Pedri was born to play for Barça,” Xavi said.

Xavi also addressed the situation of Ousmane Dembele, who was again not part of the matchday squad, saying: “With Dembele, the situation is the same. He hasn’t shown up for training because he wasn’t feeling well, but it doesn’t change anything.”

Following a two-week break, Barcelona will return to action on 6th February with a crucial tie against Atletico Madrid at Camp Nou.

Source: BarcaTV+