"I don't know what to say about him" - Barcelona boss Xavi heaps praises on player for incredible performance in 2-1 win over Real Madrid

Barcelona manager Xavi has lauded Sergi Roberto for his clinical display against Real Madrid, saying that fans should cherish the Spaniard instead of criticising him.

La Liga leaders Barcelona beat holders Real Madrid 2-1 at the Camp Nou on Sunday (March 19) to take a huge step towards their first league title in four years. Vinicius Junior gave Madrid the lead after nine minutes, with his shot taking a massive deflection from Ronald Araujo and sneaking past Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

Barcelona restored parity through Roberto in the 45th minute, making the most of a scramble inside the Madrid box. The hosts then won the game in injury time, with Franck Kessie applying a side-footed finish.

Roberto, who operated as a midfielder in Pedri’s absence, put in a tireless shift, drawing special praise from Xavi, who said (via MARCA):

“I don't know what to say about him anymore, if he would be in another team, he would be one of the most valued, and here he is criticised. It is the misfortune of this club. He has always been an example. I did not know that they had given him the MVP. He understood everything very well today. I'm very happy for him today.”

Apart from scoring the equaliser, Roberto played two key passes, completed 30 passes (81.1% accuracy) and delivered two long balls.

The Blaugrana are now a whopping 12 points clear of second-placed Real Madrid, emerging as the runaway favourites for the 2022-23 La Liga title.

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Carlo Ancelotti 'extremely proud' of Real Madrid players despite Barcelona defeat

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has lauded his players for the shift they put in at the Camp Nou. The Italian added that Los Blancos will continue to look for results despite falling 12 points behind in the title race.

When asked whether Real Madrid will prioritise the other two competitions over La Liga, Ancelotti told RMTV:

“Our priority is preparing well for every game. That's the only way of finishing the season strongly. I come away from this match feeling extremely proud of my team. The performance and the changes made were very good. We'll fight to the end in every competition; we're full of confidence. We'll fight for LaLiga until the end”

Despite Madrid’s best efforts, the Blaugrana were superior in all key aspects. They enjoyed marginally more possession (54-46%), had more shots on target (7-3), and completed more passes (496-414). They also ended the game with a higher xG than their rivals (1.62-0.55).