“Xavi Hernandez, Barcelona’s Manager, Establishes Champions League Target”

Barcelona Manager Xavi Hernandez has set modest expectations for his team as they embark on their Champions League campaign. He simply aims for Barcelona to progress from the group stage, keeping the focus on the immediate task at hand.

Despite their struggles in recent years, Barcelona once again found themselves in pot one for the Champions League draw, a position they hadn’t occupied for three years. In the group stage, they were drawn against Porto, Shakhtar Donetsk, and Royal Antwerp, with the Belgian champions being their first opponents in the group.

When asked about their European aspirations, Xavi emphasized the primary goal: “The objective is clear, to advance from the group and as first. Then we will talk.”

Reflecting on last year’s challenging draw, which included Bayern Munich and Inter Milan, Xavi acknowledged that this year’s group might appear simpler but pointed out the need to prove themselves: “This year we have to prove it. It seems more simple, but tomorrow we play against the champion of the Belgian league. It is an assessment for ourselves.”

When questioned about whether the objective was to win the competition or improve performances, Xavi stated, “Both things, improve in the competition and win.” He stressed the importance of reaching the round of 16 and performing well, adding, “We cannot speculate.”

Xavi expressed confidence that if Barcelona could replicate their performance from their recent 5-0 victory over Real Betis, they would do well in Europe: “If we play at the level of Saturday in Europe, we will also be able to compete.”

Barcelona has faced early exits in the Champions League group stage in recent years, and Xavi is eager to change that trend. He emphasized the team’s excitement to compete in the competition and the desire to take a definitive step forward. The financial rewards and the impact on his managerial reputation underscore the significance of progressing beyond the group stage for Xavi and Barcelona.

The challenge now looms for Barcelona to not only perform consistently in La Liga but also make a strong showing in the Champions League, starting with their group stage matches.