'It's not the percentage of possession we're looking for. They subdued us with the ball,' he added. Real had more possession and Xavi said that was not his gameplan. 'Defending is part of the game, that's why the win is very important, it was a tremendous victory. 'We were extraordinary defending without the ball,' said Xavi after the Clasico win at the Santiago Bernabeu. Valencia earned their first victory under new coach Ruben Baraja last weekend against high-flying Real Sociedad and sit 18th, one point below safety.ĭespite Xavi being keen on Barcelona playing in the club's traditional attacking style, at this stage of the season and with his injury list, victories are crucial, by any means necessary. With few options in the squad for Xavi to rotate with, his first-choice players will have to battle tiredness against a rested Valencia.

After Manchester United knocked Barca out of the Europa League last week and defeat by Almeria stopped the Catalans from moving 10 points clear at the top of the table, a third consecutive loss was nearly unthinkable.īarcelona put on a defensive masterclass to frustrate the reigning Spanish and European champions, carve out a narrow lead in the tie, and, perhaps more importantly, gain confidence at a crucial moment of the season.

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