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La Liga | Gameweek 17
Dec 16, 2023 at 8pm UK
Estadio de Mestalla
BL

Valencia
1 - 1
Barcelona

Guillamon (70')
Perez (65')
FT(HT: 0-0)
Felix (55')
de Jong (77'), Cancelo (79')

Xavi insists that he has backing of Barcelona amid exit talk

:Headline: Xavi insists that he has backing of Barcelona amid exit talk:
Barcelona head coach Xavi says that he has the backing of the club amid rumours that he could be sacked in the near future.
Sports Mole

Barcelona head coach Xavi has no concerns that he could lose his job at the club amid suggestions that the Catalan outfit are already lining up a replacement.

Successive losses to Girona and Royal Antwerp in La Liga and the Champions League respectively have piled the pressure on Xavi, and it has been claimed that another poor result against Valencia on Saturday could lead to him losing his job.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has allegedly lined up Barcelona B boss Rafael Marquez as Xavi's replacement, but the 43-year-old has said that he has the backing of the club following a discussion with sporting director Deco.

"I am very excited. It's time to be composed, calm, and regain confidence. I believe in the project more than ever, and we are united. I spoke to with Deco yesterday, everything is ok," Xavi told reporters ahead of Saturday's clash with Valencia at Mestalla.

"I suffer more, but I like to push the wheel and continue. I give more of myself in these situations. I have not thought about stopping. I do not want to let the club of my life down.

"It's a final. We need points because we are not performing as well as we should be in the league. Defeats against Real Madrid and Girona weigh heavily on us and this is a very difficult game because Valencia at the Mestalla are a very difficult opponent.

"This happened to us last year, the same pattern. Last season in October, they wanted to get rid of everything and in the end, it was a great season. Five months ago, we were in the streets celebrating two titles.

"The club defended me directly and publicly as well. It was said that I have a bad relationship with Deco, but the relationship with him is exceptional.

"I receive messages as if everything is a funeral. I try to abstract myself, but I receive messages as if my father or mother have died. By the way, none of you congratulated me on qualifying for the Champions League round of 16 after the Antwerp game."

Barcelona's 4-2 home loss to Girona in La Liga last weekend has left them down in fourth position in the table, seven points behind leaders Girona ahead of the next set of fixtures in Spain's top flight.

"A month ago, you asked me if I would become Barcelona's [Sir Alex] Ferguson. I'm going crazy, now you have put me on the street and I don't know where I am," Xavi continued.

"The club needs stability. All projects, even with other teams, when there are turns, need stability. We are the champions of the league, whether we lose or draw in Valencia, we will have stability. This is what we need in the post-Lionel Messi era and in a very complex economic situation.

"Last year, I understood the noise when they eliminated us from the Champions League, but I do not understand it this year. We have finished first in the group, we are in the race for the league, and we still have to play the Copa and the Super Cup."

Barcelona will take on Valencia and Almeria in their final two La Liga matches of the year before returning to action away to Las Palmas after the winter break.

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Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Real Madrid33266171224984
2GironaGirona33225669402971
3Barcelona32217464372770
4Atletico MadridAtletico32194959382161
5Athletic Bilbao321610652302258
6Real Sociedad331312846351151
7Real BetisBetis32121284038248
8Valencia32138113534147
9Getafe331013104145-443
10Villarreal32119125155-442
11Osasuna32116153746-939
12Sevilla32910134145-437
13Las PalmasLas Palmas33107163041-1137
14AlavesAlaves3298152838-1035
15Rayo Vallecano32713122739-1234
16Celta Vigo32710153747-1031
17Mallorca32613132638-1231
18CadizCadiz32413152245-2325
19Granada3239203361-2818
20Almeria33111213267-3514
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