Xavi: 'A chance we have to take'

Shortly after arriving in Hamburg in preparation for Tuesday's Champions League game with Shakhtar Donetsk, FC Barcelona coach Xavi Hernández spoke to the waiting press, saying that "this is a chance that we cannot miss. Qualification is the primary objective, and after that topping the group, and we have both within out reach already."

"We need to start controlling games more. We have been recuperating important players like Pedri, Raphinha, Lewandowski and Kounde... They are vital players for the team."

"But we still need to impose our identity more, that's the key. We want to play excellent football and to win games by a wide margin. But that's the ideal scenario, and it's not going to happen in every game. There is also the opponent to take into account and some days you aren't as inspired as others. We need to get back our consistency and make much bigger demands of ourselves in that respect."

Wednesday will mark Xavi's second anniversary as first team manager. "I think we've done a very good job" he is pleased to say. "Not just me but all the staff, the players, the club... we are halfway towards making Barça great again. We need to get back that sheer excellence that we used to have."