Barcelona coach Xavi mentioned he was happy with his workforce for overcoming a number of “unfair” choices after they recovered from Robert Lewandowski’s purple card to clinch a dramatic 2-1 win at Osasuna.
Issues appeared bleak for Barca after they went into half-time a aim and a person down at El Sadar, with David Garcia heading Osasuna into the lead amid a possible foul on Marcos Alonso, earlier than Lewandowski picked up a second reserving for a poor problem on the goalscorer.
Issues went from unhealthy to worse on the break as Gerard Pique – who was named on the bench for his remaining match earlier than retirement – acquired a purple card for dissent with out even coming into the fray.
Nonetheless, targets from Pedri and Raphinha noticed Barca stage a stirring second-half comeback to go 5 factors away from Actual Madrid on the prime of LaLiga, leaving Xavi ecstatic.
Requested what he advised his gamers on the break to spark the turnaround, Xavi mentioned: “To have religion that with 10 we might dominate the match, we needed to be clever, and our moments would come.
“It’s an excellent victory, certainly one of braveness, of household, and it was celebrated loads within the locker room. It was very sophisticated to play with 10 and I’m very happy with the workforce.
“We’ve grown. We’re a household, a gaggle, a spectacular dressing room, with the will to win, and it exhibits. I’m proud.”
In first for the following seven and a half weeks pic.twitter.com/TCPVMhc8ni
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) November 8, 2022
Reflecting on the show of referee Jesus Gil Manzano, Xavi mentioned his workforce had been hampered by quite a few poor choices.
“We really feel harmed,” he mentioned. “The primary aim was not even a nook, then there was a foul after which Robert was expelled. They had been very unfair choices, however the referee decides and we will’t do something.”
Raphinha’s winner – a well-executed header from Frenkie de Jong’s lofted go – was the eighth aim scored by a Barcelona substitute in LaLiga this time period, greater than every other workforce.
In the meantime, the Blaugrana’s tally of 37 factors after 14 video games is their joint-third highest at this stage of a season in LaLiga (after claiming 40 factors in 2012-13 and 2013-14), and Raphinha believes they’ve the combat required for a title race.
“I needed to suppose quick,” the Brazil winger mentioned of his aim. “The goalkeeper thought I used to be going to regulate the ball and that’s why he got here in the direction of me, however I knew he was going to try this.
“We knew it was going to be very tough, and it was. It was sophisticated by the expulsion of Lewandowski and from then on, we knew we’d have few possibilities to get the consequence.
“The sport was very tough, but when we need to win LaLiga, we’ve to win these video games and, like as we speak, we additionally should know the right way to endure.”