FC Barcelona Coach Xavi Laments ‘Difficult Night To Digest’ Following Real Madrid Thrashing In El Clasico

FC Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez admitted that his team’s “heavy defeat” to Real Madrid in El Clasico is hard to digest after the Catalans were thrashed 4-0 in their Copa del Rey semi-final second leg on Wednesday.

A first half stoppage time strike by Vinicius Jr and a second hat trick since Sunday from Karim Benzema sentenced Barca to a worst home loss to their bitter rivals in 60 years.

It also ended hope of delivering a domestic treble, but a dejected Xavi demanded that his team needs to stay “united” at a “difficult time” post-match.

“In difficult moments you see how a team reacts. It’s a hard night to digest, a heavy defeat. We competed much better than the result says. Mistakes of not knowing how to compete well have penalized us,” Xavi claimed.

“In the first half we were very good, we were superior in play at times, aggressive,” Xavi continued. “We conceded little. About transitions, we talked about having to stop them and that’s where the first goal was born. The second goal killed us as soon as we left the locker room. In short, it’s a pity. We had a good first half and a bad second.”

Though Barca clearly missed the influence of injured midfielders Frenkie de Jong and Pedri, plus defender Andreas Christensen, Xavi insisted that it would “sound like an excuse” to say that their absences were noticeable.

“We competed very well, I’m proud of the first half; in the second we paid dearly for our mistakes. We played against Madrid, who for me were the favorites in the tie – I already said it. We played against the reigning Champions League champions,” Xavi concluded.

Though the domestic treble is off, Xavi and his men must now focus on Easter Monday’s clash with Girona in a Catalan derby at Camp Nou.

While Barca were badly beaten on Wednesday evening, it seems difficult to believe that their mauling to Madrid will trigger a descent into chaos that results in them squandering a 12 point lead in La Liga and not lifting their first Spanish top flight title in four years come June.