Barcelona coach Xavi admits their Spanish Super Cup final defeat to Real Madrid was among the worst of his career.
Real hammered Barca 4-1 in Riyadh on Sunday.
Xavi later said: “Disappointment, sadness goes through my head… it’s football and it touches us bitterly. We were excited. We had the worst game of all. We had the option to get back, but the 3-1 scoreline made things bad for us again. Real Madrid has hurt us with its breaks and transitions… Apologise to the fans. We have given the worst face. We have to recover. I have experienced many defeats and we have recovered.
“Barça will return, it will return.
“We must manage the game better, you can’t play a final like that. We were not good in defence, nor in pressure, you cannot start a final 2-0. Then came Robert’s goal, but we lacked everything. It’s a tough defeat, we’re angry. We have shown one of the worst faces of the season. We have to improve a lot to win titles.
“We have to apologise to the Barcelona fans because it was a final, a Clásico and we were not as good as we should be.
“Defensively we did not stop the transitions with tactical fouls, there were two runs behind us, the high pressure was not good either and it was a tough defeat. As a culé, I am disappointed, we have offered one of the worst faces of the season, we have to be very self-critical.
“There was hope but it is a disappointment, it is not the image that Barca has to offer, especially in a final.
“I am calm and very angry and disappointed, we have not shown the face that a final required, but as a culé, not as a coach. I have experienced very tough defeats, but the whole season remains, there are three titles, but for everyone. We will return, we will return, I am convinced.
“We have to endure the criticism and apologise to the fans, we do not show the face that the team has to show and even more so in a final against Madrid. It is a tough defeat, but we have recovered from tough defeats many times. We will compete again for sure.
“Yes, but I am prepared to endure criticism. There was before, but I believe in the project, in myself and in the footballers. It must be reversed from Thursday. I am strong. It is a hard blow for me and the footballers but this continues. We have already seen it many times, but there is no choice but to endure the criticism, it is deserved.”
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