Xavi is expecting Barcelona's LaLiga title battle with Real Madrid to go down to the wire, despite his side opening up a five-point lead at the summit.
Barca, who last lifted the title in the 2018-19 campaign, have won 16 of their opening 19 league matches to reach the 50-point mark already.
It is only the sixth time Barca have hit that half-century milestone at this stage of a campaign, and they went on to lift the title in four of those previous five campaigns.
Reigning Spanish and European champions Madrid have struggled for consistency either side of the World Cup break, winning only half of their past eight league matches.
However, with the sides also paired together in the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey, Xavi insists Carlo Ancelotti's men can never be written off.
"I don't feel like the favourites, but rather just a candidate who can win the league," Xavi said at a pre-match press conference ahead of Sunday's meeting with Sevilla.
"Winning the league is one of our goals. We're competing against the current LaLiga and Champions League winners and it's hard for us to fight for titles against a strong side.
"I still consider Madrid a strong side and we will have to fight for the league right until the last or penultimate matchday."
Barca have won nine of their past 10 league games, including all four this calendar year, and are unbeaten in their past 14 LaLiga meetings with 13th-place Sevilla.
Jorge Sampaoli's side have won back-to-back matches without conceding to ease their relegation worries, and Xavi says his side will treat Sevilla as they do any other opponent.
"Every game brings pressure. Every time we go out on the pitch we're told it's a key game; always it's the same thing," he said.
"I've also heard that how we perform in the Europa League will determine the success of our season.
"We're a club that is exposed to pressure and that's welcome. It is better to be fighting for these titles than to be relegated.
"Up next is a difficult opponent, despite where they are in the table. Sampaoli has brought back their strong and competitive side, making them strong defensively.
"We know they are a team that can complicate things for us, a team with a lot of experience. Tomorrow is another test and we have to pass it with all three points."
The seven goals conceded after 19 LaLiga games is Barca's lowest-ever tally and the second lowest of any team at this stage after Deportivo La Coruna in the 1993-94 season.
Xavi added: "The state of the team right now is sensational. The players are working hard and getting results. In general we're in a good moment, especially in defence.
"We're playing much better football now and are understanding certain situations better. We are on the right track, but we're also still under construction in this long process."
Ancelotti demands Real Madrid response after 'difficult' Milan defeat
Carlo Ancelotti demanded a reaction from his Real Madrid players when they return to LaLiga action this weekend after their defeat to Milan in the Champions League.
Ancelotti watched on as his side were well beaten at the Bernabeu by the Serie A side, with Malick Thiaw, Alvaro Morata and Tijjani Reijnders on target for the visitors.
The result followed a humiliating 4-0 defeat to rivals Barcelona in the Clasico, with Ancelotti losing consecutive home games for the first time as Los Blancos' head coach.
Madrid are already nine points behind Hansi Flick's side at the summit of LaLiga, though they have played a game less after their game away to Valencia was postponed.
They welcome Osasuna to the Spanish capital on Saturday, and Ancelotti is looking for a response from his side to get their season back on track.
"Osasuna are doing very well, playing brave football and well positioned in the table," Ancelotti told reporters.
"We see tomorrow as a great opportunity to get back to doing things right... at this moment in time, which is obviously difficult. We have a chance to get back to our best.
"We have analysed the situation. We think we have found the solution, but it has to be seen in practice. We want to see a different version tomorrow.
"I see the team united, motivated and aware. But we have to wait until tomorrow to see if we act in the right way."
And the Madrid boss has reason to be confident heading into their game on Saturday, having not lost in his eight LaLiga fixtures against Osasuna (W5 D3).
Only against Real Betis (W5 D4) has Ancelotti gone more games without defeat in the competition (eight, also against Elche, Granada and Almeria).
Ancelotti was, however, positive that Kylian Mbappe would return to his best form, having scored just once in his last six games in all competitions.
Mbappe was also left out of France's Nations League fixtures against Israel and Italy later this month, though Ancelotti believes this weekend's fixture provides an opportunity for his striker to silence the doubters.
"He's training well, he's going through a difficult moment... like each one of us," Ancelotti said.
"And like all of us, he has to think that this is an opportunity, that if he is clever he can get through it, but it requires more concentration and attitude.
"This is a strong, motivated group and the biggest club in the world. This is the best place to get through difficult times. And I am convinced that we will," he added.
De Jong returns to Netherlands squad, Depay and Ake out
Frenkie de Jong is in line to make his first Netherlands appearance in 14 months after being named in Ronald Koeman's squad for their Nations League fixtures next week.
De Jong last featured for his country in a European Championship qualifier against the Republic of Ireland in September last year.
The 27-year-old missed Euro 2024 with a lingering ankle injury, but returned to action in Barcelona's Champions League win over Young Boys last month.
He has since made six appearances in all competitions, and will be looking to help the Netherlands advance to the quarter-finals of the Nations League.
Koeman's side sit second in Group A3 with five points, level with Hungary, who they face at the Johan Cruijff Arena on November 16, before they take on Bosnia and Herzegovina three days later.
Other returnees for Koeman include PSV Eindhoven's Noa Lang and Ajax's Devyne Rensch, but there is no room for either Memphis Depay or Nathan Ake.
Depay, who has 98 appearances for his country since his debut in 2013, has not been picked for the Oranje's opening four Nations League fixtures.
The 30-year-old joined Brazilian side Corinthians from Atletico Madrid in September, and has scored two goals in six appearances for his new club.
Manchester City's Ake has also missed out despite returning from a hamstring injury for Pep Guardiola's side at the end of last month.
Netherlands squad in full:
Mark Flekken (Brentford), Nick Olij (Sparta Rotterdam), Bart Verbruggen (Brighton & Hove Albion); Matthijs de Ligt (Manchester United), Stefan de Vrij, Denzel Dumfries (both Inter Milan), Jorrel Hato, Devyne Rensch (both Ajax Amsterdam), Jurriën Timber (Arsenal), Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool), Jan Paul van Hecke (Brighton & Hove Albion); Frenkie de Jong (Barcelona), Jeremie Frimpong (Bayer Leverkusen), Ryan Gravenberch (Liverpool), Teun Koopmeiners (Juventus), Tijjani Reijnders (AC Milan), Quinten Timber (Feyenoord), Mats Wieffer (Brighton & Hove Albion); Brian Brobbey (Ajax Amsterdam), Cody Gakpo (Liverpool), Justin Kluivert (Bournemouth), Noa Lang (PSV Eindhoven), Donyell Malen (Borussia Dortmund), Wout Weghorst (Ajax Amsterdam), Joshua Zirkzee (Manchester United).
Back-to-back wins have lifted injury-hit Dortmund spirits, says Sahin
Nuri Sahin is confident that Borussia Dortmund's back-to-back victories will help improve spirits within their depleted squad ahead of facing Mainz in the Bundesliga.
The likes of Gregor Kobel, Karim Adeyemi, Julien Duranville, Gio Reyna, Niklas Sule, Waldemar Anton, Julian Ryerson and Yan Couto are all notable absentees for BVB.
However, Sahin's side followed up their impressive league win over RB Leipzig last week with a 1-0 win over Sturm Graz in the Champions League on Tuesday.
The win saw Sahin become the first Dortmund boss since the Bundesliga was founded to win each of his first seven home matches in charge (all competitions).
However, their struggles, particularly in the Bundesliga, have come away from the Westfalenstadion this season.
Dortmund have failed to win any of their four away matches in the league. Should they fail to win in Mainz, they would become the second side this century to have zero wins in their first five away games and five wins from their first five home games.
Borussia Monchengladbach were the last team to go on a similar run in 2013-14, while the last time Dortmund experienced this stretch of form came in 1967-68.
However, Sahin revealed that their recent victories have improved the mood in the dressing room, and is positive his players can stop the rot away from home.
"We have not really trained as a team on the pitch yet (after the win over Graz)," Sahin told a press conference.
"But the atmosphere is obviously more relaxed. Victories always do well and especially the way we won." It is normal there's more laughter after wins than after defeats."
Dortmund currently sit fifth in the Bundesliga standings after nine games, seven points behind league leaders Bayern Munich.
Sahin's side do, however, have the opportunity to close the gap at the summit ahead of the final international break of 2024.
The BVB head coach welcomed the two-week break as an opportunity to nurse his injury-hit squad back to health, though asked his available players for one final push after a difficult few months.
"It is never easy in Mainz. It will be uncomfortable," Sahin said. "We need to do it one more time before going into the international break."
"It needs to be clear to us that it is about the three points. It does not matter if it is home or away.
"We will try to get those important points to start again after the international break from a better position."
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
