Real Madrid manager defends Barcelona and Xavi amid poor form: “Great professional, great coach”

Barcelona are facing a sporting crisis right now. The club are lagging behind Real Madrid and Girona in the league title, following a series of disappointing results.

The recent losses to Girona and Royal Antwerp have put immense pressure on coach Xavi Hernandez, with even players slowly losing faith in the head coach.

As Xavi continues to face pressure, the Barcelona coach has found support from an unlikely figure.

Carlo Ancelotti defends Xavi

Indeed, Xavi Hernandez has found support from none other than Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti, following a string of bad results.

In a recent interview, Ancelotti was asked about Xavi’s work amid the club’s poor form. In response, the Italian defended his Spanish counterpart and even praised Xavi’s abilities as a coach.

When asked about whether or not Barcelona are the most, Ancelotti said (h/t Diario SPORT), “It is normal for the coach to have criticism. Then each one considers the criticism fair or unfair. In our world, criticism is common. The judgment for a coach is with the results.”

“No one cares about the methodology, the ability to handle different situations, the players who stay on the bench. The judgment is whether you win or you don’t win,” Ancelotti added.

The Real Madrid boss went on to defend the work of Xavi, suggesting that the Spaniard is a talented professional who is well aware of the intricate dynamics of the coaching world.

“Xavi knows this well, he is a great professional, a great coach and has the ability to handle these situations,” said Ancelotti.

Important matches ahead for Barcelona

Ancelotti’s defence of Xavi may not offer any solace to Barcelona management, especially in the midst of current form.

The Catalans, in fact, have a few important matches coming up. They are notably taking on Valencia later this evening, which will be followed by a match against Almeria.

These couple of games could make or break for Xavi, as he looks to retain his job. Even for Barcelona, any negative result could mean trouble, especially if they are to keep up with Real Madrid and Girona in the race for the league title.