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Barcelona manager Xavi is bullish about the club's chances of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League next season. The Blaugrana registered a last-gasp win over Alaves in La Liga on Sunday night courtesy of a Frenkie de Jong goal.
Xavi's appointment has seen Barcelona improve on the league front. They have lost just once under the Spaniard, winning five and drawing three matches out of nine.
The 1-0 victory over Alaves took the Catalan giants up to the fifth spot in the league table, leaving them just a point behind fourth-placed Atletico Madrid.
Interestingly, the Blaugrana will host the Diego Simeone-managed side in La Liga right after the international break. A win at Camp Nou would take them into the top four.
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Speaking after the Alaves encounter, Xavi said (via Barca Blaugranes):
“Very important victory in a difficult pitch. The frozen pitch has not helped. The team has tried, they have had faith until the end. It is a crucial victory to continue in the fight for the top positions. Happy with the effort and the result."
He added:
“We were waiting for this match. We have tried with a line of three, of four. We have changed the system in the end with all the risk in the world. It’s important. It’s cost us but it’s three golden points. We are one point away from the Champions League. We are there, in the fight. The rest will be good for us to get people back, to work on the game model. These days are going to be great for us."
Barcelona were knocked out of the 2021-22 UEFA Champions League earlier this season
Barcelona were relegated to the Europa League after finishing third in their UEFA Champions League group stage. The Blaugrana finished behind Bayern Munich and Benfica in their UCL group, winning two, drawing one and losing the other three matches.
The Catalan giants will face Napoli in the Europa League playoffs first-leg on February 17. The European competition remains their only realistic hope for silverware this season.
They were knocked out of the Spanish Super Cup in the semi-final by Real Madrid. They then lost to Athletic Bilbao to draw curtains on their Copa del Rey campaign.
