Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez is facing growing criticism after his comments following a narrow 2-1 win against Alaves.
His criticism comes in the wake of recent poor performances, including a defeat to Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League.
Despite securing wins against Real Sociedad, and Alaves on Sunday, Barcelona’s form have raised concerns, leading to heightened scrutiny of Xavi’s managerial approach.
After demanding a reaction from his players, Barcelona conceded early against Alaves and relied on some luck to secure the victory.
In a post-match interview, Xavi denied hearing whistles from the Montjuic crowd at half-time, stating, “What the press says affects the team’s game, scenarios are generated that are not real, this affects them.”
He continued by suggesting that negative press coverage had impacted his own career, while defending his players.
“These players deserve credit. We are bad at the moment, but we managed to pull off a win in a game that turned very ugly. I value the personality of coming back.”
However, many found Xavi’s attempt to shift blame to the press as a weak excuse, citing that managing a club like Barcelona, come with intense scrutiny.