Xavi says 'It's time to show who we are again'

Barça are ready for the visit of Atlético Madrid. With a unique show to celebrate Sant Jordi day also on the menu, the game on Sunday at the Spotify Camp Nou (4.15pm CEST) can be an important step towards the LaLiga title. The key to victory "is showing who we are again and returning to our identity", acknowledged Xavi Hernández during the pre-match press conference for the special game on Sunday.

Back to the Barça DNA

This high quality clash comes at a key moment for the blaugranas. After two consecutive draws in the league, Xavi Hernández and the team want to improve their form, with coach stating "it's the ideal moment to show who we are again. The game is an incentive, it's a challenge to react to and show we want to win the title".

The coach thinks that winning would be an important statement as "a victory would virtually rule Atlético out of the race for LaLiga. We have nine games left, nine finals. We can't let our guard down".

A multi-faceted opponent

Barça may be showing their defensive prowess, but Xavi highlighted that Diego Simeone's side can be very dangerous as "the team can dominate many facets of the game, they can press high up the pitch and are also comfortable in a low block".

In addition to defensive solidity, Atlético Madrid are strong in attack with players like Griezmann, De Paul and Morata, with Xavi stating "these are fast players who can run in behind. They can give you problems on quick transitions".

New faces in the squad

The squad named for this mouthwatering match was also a talking point during the press conference, as Lamine Yamal has been called up for the first time. Aged just 15 years and 9 months old, Xavi Hernández highlighted his qualities to the press, stating that "he can bring us a lot. He is a player with a lot of character, even though is very young. He has the football skills and is an outstanding talent".

Key players like Pedri and De Jong have also been passed fit for Sunday's game, and Xavi feels that "we are gradually starting to resemble a full squad again. Dembele is very close and Christensen is making good progress."