Barcelona Coach Xavi Hernandez asks fans not to boo Ousmane Dembele after he was mocked when he returned to the team for Sunday’s thriller Win 4-2 against Atlético Madrid at Camp Nou.
Dembele has not played for Barca since January 12 because he did not agree to a new contract, with his terms in the summer, but Xavi said he will use him after he failed to secure his departure from the club last month.
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The French winger was named on the bench against Atletico and remained an unused substitute as Barca advanced into the La Liga top four, but his name was blown when it was announced first. match.
“The fans were 10 out of 10 and the support was fantastic throughout the game,” Xavi said during his post-match press conference. “But I also want them to support Ousmane. I want them to stop booing him.”
Xavi also said that he planned to put Dembele in front of the right-back Dani Alves sent off in the second half.
“The idea was to let him play, but I decided on other things because of the red card and the way the game was going,” he added.
Barca recovered from Yannick CarrascoThe goal opened the scoring early to take a 4-1 lead early in the second half, thanks to a spectacular volley from Jordi Alba and goals further from Gavi, Ronald Araujo and Alves.
Luis Suarez reclaimed a goal for Atletico in the return to Camp Nou, but Diego Simeone’s side could not find their way back into the game, even after Alves’ red card in the 69th minute for a rough challenge to the ball. Carrasco.
“He said he didn’t mean it, but I think he meant it, for me to feel it,” Carrasco told Movistar. “It’s too fast. I haven’t seen it yet, but as tall as it is, I don’t think he’s dribbling.”
The win put Barca ahead of Atletico and took fourth and final place in the Champions League in La Liga.
“It’s not just a win,” Xavi added. “The fans, the staff, the players… we all need it. It could be a turning point. It was a big win over the defending champions.
“We have to keep working hard, it’s tough but we’re turning the situation around. We’re in the Champions League right now, but we have to carry on with this style of play.”
Xavi also praised the new signings’ “fantastic” performance Adama Traore and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, both of whom debuted after joining from Wolverhampton Wanderers and Arsenal corresponding.
Adama warmed up and scored Gavi’s second goal, with Aubameyang coming on after the break to help Barca win.
Meanwhile, despite seeing his side concede four times as they conceded their sixth of the season, Atletico boss Simeone doesn’t feel his side fall behind Barca.
“No,” he said, giving only one word when asked if he felt Barca had dominated Atletico.
He then added: “Look at the opportunities. In the first half, Barca had four goals and scored three. Atletico had four goals and scored one. It was all clinical. Barca took the opportunity. their.
“In the second half, after 4-1, there was a reaction. More intense, more powerful in duels. That’s what we were looking for, like against. Valencia [two weeks ago]. I am responsible for creating that and I have to find a way to make it appear more often. “
The two coaches exchanged words before the game, with Xavi saying Barca fans would “disapprove” of Atletico’s style of play and Simeone saying Xavi “didn’t understand” life outside of Barcelona.
“He was looking for something that was the opposite of what we wanted,” Xavi said after the game, trying to knock. “Simeone understands football in a different way. But that’s all, a different way of looking at football, it’s not a fight or anything like that. [between us].
“He is happy without the ball, I sweat without the ball. But Atletico are a great opponent, the defending champions. He is a great coach and I have great respect for him. that.”
