As Barcelona prepare to welcome Inter at the Camp Nou, coach Xavi Hernandez is wary of the threat the visitors will pose following their 1-0 loss at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza. The Blaugrana sit third in Group C, three points behind the Nerazzurri and six behind leaders Bayern Munich, who will visit a fortnight later.
However, it is the immediate encounter that concerns the Barca legend, as he looks to qualify for the next round. He made his thoughts known in an exclusive interview to Amazon (via FCInterNews).
“We are Barcelona, there is always pressure. It is an uncomfortable situation because we have not won either in Monaco or in Milan and now we have an urgent need to win. We face it with a positive mentality and with the desire to take all three points.”
He took stock of how his team would better themselves going into the match.
“It is a small rematch of the first leg, we want to have a great match against a very good Inter who works very well defensively and is physically, but we will try to impose our game and attack a little better as we did in the last 20-30 ‘in Milan.
Finally, Xavi reminisced of the historic 1-0 defeat the hands of the Nerazzurri back in the 2nd leg of the 2009/10 UEFA Champions League semi-finals.
“Bad memories, a very hard elimination, we had to go by bus. Many controversies, in Milan and Barcelona: expulsions, penalties, offside goals. Bad memories because we didn’t go to the final which Inter then won, but a semifinal is always a very intense match.”
Inter will look to win consecutive matches against the hosts for the first time ever.