Xavi has urged Barcelona to “recover our ideology” before beginning a critical week of their season.
Barcelona have three home games in the space of six days, starting against Athletic Bilbao in LaLiga on Sunday.
Shakhtar Donetsk provide Champions League opposition on Wednesday and Real Madrid make the trip to the Nou Camp next Saturday for the first El Clasico of the season.
As LaLiga returns following the international break, leaders Real held a three-point advantage over Barcelona.
“At the start of the season, we’ve had some great moments of playing well,” said Xavi, whose side have dropped points in two of their last three league games with 2-2 draws against Mallorca and Granada.
“We must recover our ideology and get the three points by playing well.
“We are in a situation with a lot of absentees, but it won’t be an excuse for the game and to be able to play well.”
Alejandro Balde and Lamine Yamal have both been declared fit for the Bilbao clash.
But Frenkie de Jong, Jules Kounde, Pedri, Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski and Sergi Roberto remain unavailable.
Lewandowski, Barca’s top scorer with six this season, is closing in on a return after ankle trouble and Xavi said the Poland forward “has a very good feeling” of returning against Real Madrid.
Xavi said: “He’s a great leader and always goes forward, he wants to be there and he’s hurting less and less every day.
“He has a very good feeling. He always pulls himself forward.
“But there is a lot of variety (in attack) and people with confidence in front of goal. That is great. Last year, we depended a lot on Lewandowski.”
On the potential return of other individuals, Xavi added: “The player’s feelings will tell when he will arrive. We won’t force anyone.
“Feelings are the key and they will mark the return of all of them.”
Bilbao began the weekend in fifth place, four points behind Barcelona after beating Almeria 3-0 before the international break.
The Basques side are managed by Ernesto Valverde, who won two LaLa titles and a Copa Del Rey during his time in charge of Barcelona between May 2017 and January 2020.
Xavi said: “Athletic are very strong physically and technically gifted. Valverde is a great coach and likes to press high.
“I’m expecting a difficult opponent, we have some injuries but that’s no excuse and we need our fans.
“We’re three points behind the leaders. But we have to keep working hard, to keep fighting, and to keep improving, because there is a long way to go in LaLiga.”
Lewandowski committed to Barcelona amid speculation over his future, says agent
Robert Lewandowski remains committed to Barcelona amid speculation over his future, with his agent refuting reports the Poland striker wants to leave.
Reports in Spain suggested Barcelona are considering the contract of 35-year-old Lewandowski as Xavi looks to bolster his attacking line-up after missing out on the LaLiga title to rivals Real Madrid.
Lewandowski's agent Pini Zahavi rubbished reports that he is set to meet with Barca president Joan Laporta and sporting director Deco, however.
"This is nonsense," Zahavi told Polish journalist Tomasz Wlodarczyk, according to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo.
"He wants to play one more year in Catalonia. He has signed a contract for four years.
"It will depend on his performances in the 2024-2025 season and includes a clause that provides for the possibility of termination of the contract if Lewy does not play 55 per cent of the minutes."
Lewandowski once again leads Barcelona's scoring charts this term in LaLiga, having found the net 17 times in 31 appearances before Monday's meeting with Real Sociedad.
Barcelona will hope to leap back up to second in the Spanish top-flight standings with victory over La Real, currently trailing Girona by two points ahead of their game in hand.
Former Soca Warrior Hislop endorses Edwards to steer TTFA back to glory days; hopes to see T&T at World Cup
With the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) now back to regular proceedings, former Soca Warriors goalkeeper Shaka Hislop is optimistic that it will bring with it good fortunes that will see the twin island republic qualifying for another FIFA Men’s World Cup.
Hislop’s sentiments came during an endorsement of recently-elected TTFA president Kieron Edwards, who he believes is best suited to steer the country’s football and finances back on track, as he foresees a bright future for football.
In fact, Hislop, who was Trinidad and Tobago’s custodian at the 2006 FIFA World Cup, expressed delight that the association is no longer under the thumb of the Normalisation Committee, which was installed by FIFA in 2020.
The Normalisation Committee had a mandate to manage the daily affairs of the TTFA, establish a repayment plan for the debt-riddled organisation, review and amend its statutes –and other regulations, where necessary – and ensure compliance with the statutes and rules of the world governing football body.
“I was very critical of the Normalisation process, and I remain so. I felt our football needed to be in our hands. We needed to chart our own path and answer to our own stakeholders. And now with President Edwards in place, we have that,” Hislop said during Grenada’s 100 Years in Football Legends Match in the Spice Isle recently.
“We have that opportunity again to do that. It’s a big opportunity for us to maybe try to rediscover a lot of our game, and our football, and what it means to us. Both in terms of our performances on the park and in terms of how we provide those opportunities and platforms that I did, and I was able to enjoy when I was a kid coming through,” he added.
Having benefitted immensely from a decorated career with the Soca Warriors, Hislop is now hoping to return the favour by assisting aspiring players to chart the course towards a successful career of their own.
“T&T as a country, T&T football as a sport, has given me an awful lot, more than I could ever repay for, and more than I think many people recognize. And that will always be my focus, how can I support young men and women who are trying to find their way in the sport,” he declared.
That said, Hislop pointed out that the chances of Trinidad and Tobago making another appearance at the global showpiece remains highly possible, but it will require the right mentality and financial backing to achieve the feat.
Trinidad and Tobago enjoyed a fairly successful 2023 Concacaf Nations League campaign in which they made the quarterfinals and secured an historic win over United States.
Angus Eve’s side missed out on Copa America qualification, but they have a grand opportunity to possibly secure a spot at the 2026 World Cup, especially with the confederation’s powerhouse teams –Mexico, United States and Canada –securing automatic qualification as hosts, and as such, will be absent from the upcoming qualifiers.
“If they stick with it, if they are given the right tools, if they’re given the right coaching, provided the right mentors and the right opportunities, I’m sure the game will give back to them in an enriching way as it did to me,” said Hislop.
“My dying dream is to see T&T qualify for a World Cup so I can go there as a fan. I was to go and experience T&T playing in a World Cup, purely as a fan. I’m hopeful that I’ll see that,” he ended.
Ancelotti excited by Guler potential after Madrid teenager's goal at Granada
Arda Guler was once again on target for Real Madrid against Granada and an excited Carlo Ancelotti believes Los Blancos can expect more to come from the teenager.
Chances to impress in a first-team environment have been limited for Guler, who chose Madrid over Barcelona to join from Fenerbahce last July, owing to the quality of Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo.
Yet the Turkey youngster has scored twice in his last three LaLiga starts, finding the net in Saturday's 4-0 thrashing of Granada after also striking against Real Sociedad on April 26.
"We still don't know what his potential is because he is very young," the Madrid head coach said of Guler.
"But he is showing incredible talent, he is very effective in front of goal and has speed.
"I don't know what his ceiling is, today it is difficult to say, but he has natural talent and he's doing very well."
Brahim Diaz has also had to settle for a backup role in the Spanish capital but scored twice in the hammering of Granada, as well as a goal for Fran Garcia.
Ancelotti heaped praise on his much-changed Madrid side as the newly-crowned LaLiga champions impressed after reaching the Champions League final in midweek with their win over Bayern Munich.
"Well… it's hard to say who surprised me the most," Ancelotti said after resting the likes of Jude Bellingham, Vinicius and Rodrygo in 10 changes for Saturday's victory.
"Among those who returned, Brahim earned an important role, but I don't want to forget Joselu or Fran Garcia, who arrived this year and did really well.
"Fran in the first period and the others, in terms of goals, were fundamental to having this level at this moment of the season."
Madrid host Alaves and Real Betis either side of a trip to Villarreal to end their league season, before the Champions League final with Borussia Dortmund on June 1 at Wembley Stadium.
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