Xavi slams Barcelona for lacking spirit, hunger, focus

Barcelona coach Xavi Hernández slammed his side’s «unacceptable» performance despite ending a three-game winless streak by beating LaLiga’s bottom side Almería 3-2 at the Olympic Stadium on Wednesday.

Captain Sergi Roberto scored a brace, including an 83rd minute winner, to seal the points after Almería had twice come from behind in search of their first win in the league this season.

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«We suffered much more than I expected,» Xavi said in his postgame news conference.

«We had 30 shots and gifted them two goals. The first half is unacceptable. As a coach you can’t accept that — I told [the players] that at half-time.

«It’s as simple as that. The second half is better, but we missed a lot [of chances] and made a lot of mistakes. It’s been like this for over a month.

«The team lacked spirit. The team doesn’t have that same spirit it had last season. There’s no aggression or focus. We need more rhythm and intensity.»

Raphinha gave Barça a first-half lead, but Almería drew level before the break through Léo Baptistão, which led to the home supporters whistling off the players at half-time.

«I totally [get why they whistled],» Xavi added. «I don’t like whistling. I never whistled in my life, but I understand it.

«Like I said, [the performance was] unacceptable. You cannot lack spirit. You can play well, badly, win or lose, it doesn’t matter, but you have to give everything out of respect for the club and the badge.»

Roberto restored Barça’s lead, only for Almería to level again, this time through Edgar González. It was the 21st goal the Catalan side have conceded in the league this season — more than in the entire campaign last year.

There was still time for one more twist as Roberto netted inside the final 10 minutes, with the crossbar then denying him a first-ever hat trick.

The win moved Barça within six points of LaLiga leaders Girona and four behind Real Madrid, although both teams have games in hand later this week.

Xavi said to compete for trophies — as Barça did last season when they won LaLiga and the Spanish Super Cup — the players will have to show more hunger and fight, because they are not as good as previous Barça sides.

«We don’t have the quality of Barça’s 2010 team,» he said. «You can forget that. We don’t have the same quality or individual capacity.

«We are talking about the best Barça ever [in 2010] and at the moment we are not that. We have to work hard and leave everything on the pitch. There is no big secret.

«We didn’t win [trophies] last year because of individual quality. We won them because we were a group, a family. We were aggressive, we defended together and we attacked well.

«The reality is if we don’t give everything, it won’t be enough against whoever we are playing. I see a lack of hunger, but that is my responsibility and it won’t happen again.»

Barça flew to Dallas immediately after the match ahead of friendly against Club América on Thursday that sources told ESPN will net the club around €5 million.

«We know the club’s situation,» Xavi said of the decision to play a midseason friendly on another continent 30 hours after a league game. «We all have to row in the same direction to sustain the club financially.»

Upon their return from the U.S., Barça have a brief break over Christmas before they return to action in LaLiga on Jan. 4 with a trip to Las Palmas.