La Liga leader Barcelona is the most difficult club in the world to manage because critics are always ready to snipe at him even after a big win, coach Xavi Hernandez said on Friday.
Barcelona beat Real Madrid 1-0 in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final at the Santiago Bernabeu on Thursday, but were criticized for having just 34 per cent possession.
Xavi said the demands on his team to play good football as well as win games and lift trophies meant their task was more difficult than other games.
“You beat Real Madrid 1-0 and it doesn’t seem convincing enough, whereas if it’s the other way around there will be a national party,” Xavi told reporters.
“So it’s the hardest club in the world. Now you believe me? I said that last year and I got bashed for it.
“In Barcelona, you have to win and convince, have 70 percent possession and create 16 chances while the opponent creates three.
“That’s the goal, and it’s our goal, but you have to understand that there are opponents who are champions of La Liga and Europe, and we compete with them.”
Xavi said it was “absurd” to criticize Barcelona for not keeping the ball in the face of a Madrid team that forced them up the pitch.
“We didn’t want to set it up in our box, Madrid pushed us there, it wasn’t our goal for the game,” Xavi said.
On Sunday Barcelona face Valencia in La Liga, where they have the chance to move 10 points ahead of Real Madrid facing Real Betis.
Last weekend Barcelona missed the chance to add to their advantage as they lost 1-0 at Almeria.
Valencia, 18th, recently appointed Ruben Baraja as coach and beat Real Sociedad 1-0 last weekend to boost their bid to avoid relegation.
“He defends well with Baraja, he is more aggressive, generous in defense, very fast,” Xavi said.
“We came from the Almeria defeat, we have to change our mindset from the cup. We want three points, but the opponent needs them too, a lot is on the line.