"We have great captains" - Xavi names 5 Barcelona stars as the leaders on the pitch after Sevilla win

Barcelona manager Xavi was all praise for his side after their narrow but crucial 1-0 win against Sevilla. It was an important win in what was effectively a six-point match. The Spanish tactician was praised the leadership skills displayed by several of his players.

Xavi's men headed into the fixture as the fourth-placed side in La Liga, just three points short of third-placed Sevilla - making the fixture a vital clash. Although Barca were the better side for a majority of the first half, they failed to break Sevilla's defense and both sides went into the half-time break with the score at 0-0.

Barcelona continued to pile on the pressure in the second half, creating a plethora of chances before luck finally fell their way. It came through a Pedri strike in the 72nd minute.

Having collected all three points on offer, the Blaugrana leapfrogged both Sevilla and Atletico Madrid to move into second place in the La Liga table, with a game in hand over both teams.

Barca manager Xavi was understandably relieved by the final result. As per AS (via Football Espana), Xavi spoke in a post-match interview and shared his thoughts about the win. He reportedly said:

“We won against a direct rival in a ‘game of six points’ tonight. We are in our best moment of the season and we have to take advantage of it."

Notably, Barcelona now find themselves 12 points behind Real Madrid, albeit with a game in hand. Xavi believes that it's too big a deficit to overcome but claimed that his side will continue to fight regardless.

“Yesterday they (Real Madrid) got three points and for us today was a final," Xavi said. "We will continue to fight for the title until the maths tells us no."

He further praised the leadership qualities exhibited by numerous Barca players and said:

“There are many types of leadership. We have great captains in Pique, Busquets and Alba, also in Ter Stegen, and Pedri who is a leader on the pitch."

Xavi also reserved special praise for 19-year-old Pedri, who continues to impress. He said:

“The leadership Pedri has on the field is extraordinary. I already said he is a superlative player. He always makes a differences. He doesn’t surprise me. He can play perfectly with both feet. He is a player that has no comparison.”

---

Barcelona prepare for UEFA Europa League quarter-final clash versus Eintracht Frankfurt

Barcelona will look to get past Eintracht Frankfurt in the UEFA Europa League quarter-final

With 12 points separating Barcelona and Real Madrid in La Liga, winning the league title currently seems like an unlikely aspiration for the Blaugrana. However, Xavi's men could very well still lift silverware in the form of the UEFA Europa League trophy.

Barcelona are arguably the best side remaining in the competition and are set to face Eintracht Frankfurt in the quarterfinals, with the first leg to be played this week. Although the Europa League isn't the European trophy Barca would like to lift, it will most certainly validate their resurgence this season.