Xavi on the Super Cup in Riyadh: "Arabia is a country that has things to improve, and so does Spain"

Xavi Hernández

sees in the

the possibility of adding the first title of the season, which would also be the premiere of his record as a culé coach.

If he manages to eliminate

in the semifinals and he does, they will lift the trophy at the

in a competition that, due to his transfer to

, has raised a storm that he does not understand.

"There are positive and not so positive things, in the end football is like that. Obviously, as a country, Saudi Arabia has things to improve, and Spain also criticized

for the World Cup and then it has been seen that it is not that bad," said the Barcelona coach, always respectful of the monarchies of the Gulf.

Xavi praised the Saudi League, "which has very strong teams that I have faced in the Asian Champions League and they have always caused me problems", he recalled, and sent a warning to

: "He is going to a very good team, but that he does not think that it is a walk to come to this League".

The Barça coach did not hide his desire to be Super Cup champion in this new format, "because it would be a good moral booster".

"I am tremendously excited because we have been without titles for a while.

," he joked with the journalists.

"I don't feel like we're favourites. We arrived at a good time, but it doesn't mean anything. I don't see myself as a favourite. We don't have casualties, sanctions or injuries, but we have to show it on the field. Betis is a rival who likes to have the ball, with Pellegrini being an offensive coach; all the

are starters. Defensively they are well prepared, with the high line, a very strong opponent who likes to steal balls... a very complete team. We will try to have the ball on as long as possible, will be the key", he described.

The key is seen in having the ball "as long as possible" and fine-tuning more in defense.

"It is key, essential to win titles. In football there is a lot of strength in the midfield, a lot of transition and you have to have corrective players like

or

," he assured.

The path stops also for defending "in solidarity."

"We don't want to lose our identity, our style of play: dominate, attack and keep attacking. But before, few teams pressed you up, they waited for you. Not now, now they complicate you and it's difficult to dominate them for 90 minutes," he warned.

Pellegrini: "We do not come with accompaniment"

The Cup champion will not make it easy for Barça. "We come from a very important victory that allowed us to regain Champions League places. Wherever they play, Barcelona will be the favorites due to the power they have "But in no case do we feel that we have come to accompany them. As in all games we are going to go out to win from minute one with the confidence we have in our football", made clear Manuel

, who could become the first coach bético who wins two official titles.

Pellegrini envisions a match in which two teams "that favor the creative over the destructive" will be measured.

"We have a game mechanic that we are not going to change depending on the rival and we are not going to go out just looking for a tie. The team is going to go out to win, to look for Barcelona in their field. As long as there is something at stake, the game goes to always be very interesting to be able to win it", he recalled.

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• Spain Supercup

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