Xavi talks Memphis, Ferran, Fati, Lewandowski after AD Ceuta 0-5 Barcelona

Barcelona booked a place in the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey after they thrashed AD Ceuta 5-0 away from home on Thursday night.

Raphinha, Ansu Fati, Franck Kessie, and Robert Lewandowski (two) all got their names on the scoresheet as the Catalan giants built on their recent Spanish Super Cup triumph with yet another commanding win that puts them through to the next round of the cup competition.

Speaking after the game, manager Xavi Hernandez commended the attitude of his players while also heaping praise on some of his stars. Here are the snippets from his interaction with the media after the match.

On the win: “I emphasize the attitude of the team above all. It’s very important and we had the experience of the other day against Intercity. It cost us, but in the second half we were very good. It’s not easy coming to play at these grounds.”

On his ‘secondary’ players getting the job done: “Today’s players are not secondary players. We are all part of the same squad, they are all important players and I am convinced that they will be just as important between now and the end of the season. The team has been very serious. We are very happy. We showed that we have a great squad.”

On individual performances: “Inaki Pena, very good with his feet; Bellerín, extraordinary; Marcos, Jordi Alba…. They were all very good, with a high defensive line, focused. We’re in good form at the moment and we have to make the most of it.”

On Ferran Torres’ poor run: “Ferran has not scored, but that’s not the only thing I expect from him. He does things that nobody notices. Not everything is scoring goals.”

On Ansu Fati: “We agreed that he would play half an hour because on Sunday he will be a starter. He came on and made the difference. He’s back to being the Ansu we all want. In the next few games, he’s going to be transcendental.”

On Robert Lewandowski: “He’s a very important player. A tremendous professional. It’s good for him to continue in the cup because, with the suspension he has been handed, he’s keeping up the pace and getting more and more minutes. It’s perfect for us.”

On the draw for the quarter-finals: “We would like to play at home. The opponents are all top-flight, and strong. We’ll see what the draw has in store for us. We’re in the quarter-finals, we’re happy. We’re in a good dynamic. This is the way forward.”

On Memphis Depay’s exit: “Memphis told us he wanted to leave, and we had to respect his wish.”

On signing a replacement: “It wouldn’t be a tragedy if no one came. I’m happy with the squad.”

Source: BarçaTV+