FC Barcelona coach Xavi discussed the upcoming Spanish Supercup final against Real Madrid.
Unlike Real Madrid, Barcelona did not have to go into extra time to overcome Osasuna this Thursday. The Catalans secured a 2-0 victory and will now have the opportunity to defend their title against Carlo Ancelotti’s team this Sunday.
FC Barcelona is just 90 minutes away from clinching its first trophy of the season. After eliminating Osasuna in the semi-final (2-0), the Blaugrana club is gearing up to face its sworn rival in the Spanish Supercup final: Real Madrid, who won the derby against Atlético in a prolific match (5-3). Following the match in Riyadh, Catalan coach Xavi Hernandez expressed his determination to overturn the Liga leader in Saudi Arabia.
Xavi Hernandez believes in his team’s chances
Recalling the 2023 encounter as a turning point in Barcelona’s season, Xavi stated, “I hope we can do the same again; it was one of our best matches since I took charge. Real comes in being better than last year. We won’t change much. We will seek to impose our game. We took a step forward in terms of gameplay, morale, and confidence.”
However, Barcelona’s coach believes the showdown is balanced. “I hope it will be the definitive turning point for us. I watched Real’s match; they were good. It’s a 50% chance,” he said. The Catalan legend then discussed the strengths of his team to secure victory.
“Our methodology, our playing style, the block… the example of last year. We were better. In La Liga as well, we had a good match until the hour mark. We need to take the ball away from Real Madrid. We must showcase our DNA. We are highly motivated,” he added.
To conclude his statement, Xavi spoke about Carlo Ancelotti. “We have a very good relationship. It’s a Clasico, and it will be difficult, but we are enthusiastic. Ancelotti has changed the system. The key will be to control the match and impose our personality,” he said.
Martínez Munuera to officiate Xavi Hernandez and Carlo Ancelotti
For this highly anticipated encounter, everything is almost ready. The referee for the final is known. Martínez Munuera will officiate the 2024 Spanish Supercup final, overseeing the match between Real Madrid and FC Barcelona in Riyadh (Sunday, 8:00 PM). The decision was made in consultation with Soto Grado, the two other referees present in Saudi Arabia with the Federation, who had not yet officiated. It remained to determine who would be on the field and who would be in charge of VAR. Ultimately, Soto Grado will handle the video arbitration.
This will be Martínez Munuera‘s fourth Clasico, with a record in favor of Real Madrid: two victories for Real and one for Barcelona. His debut dates back to the 2019-20 season when he directed the first Clasico in history without an audience due to the pandemic. Real Madrid then secured a notable 1-3 victory at Camp Nou.
His second Clasico was equally historic, with Barcelona’s 0-4 victory at the Bernabéu, as Real Madrid played in black to celebrate the club’s 120th anniversary. The third encounter was also memorable, marking Real Madrid’s 4-0 victory at Camp Nou in the Copa del Rey.
Martínez Munuera has also officiated Real Madrid more than any other team in his career, overseeing 31 of their matches. Under his direction, Madrid has won 61% of their matches and lost only 16% of them. Regarding FC Barcelona, although he has officiated fewer matches (27), the winning percentage is higher, standing at 70%, with only 11% defeats.
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