Xavi Hernandez is refusing to rule out a late operate for the title and Gerard Pique proclaimed Barcelona are back following they hammered Authentic Madrid 4- in Sunday’s Clasico at the Santiago Bernabeu.
A Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang double and even more ambitions from Ronald Araujo and Ferran Torres finished Barca’s six-recreation winless run from Madrid, courting again to 2019, and cut the gap on Carlo Ancelotti’s facet to 12 points with a sport in hand and 10 matches however to play.
Just minutes soon after total-time, defender Pique posted “We are back again” on social media as Barca stretched their unbeaten streak in LaLiga to 13 online games.
“It’s possible we can say we are again,” mentor Xavi explained in his post-recreation news convention when requested if he agreed with Pique’s information.
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“This is the path to stick to. This is the way we want to participate in. It was a complete effectiveness. We were substantially improved than Madrid. We performed practically as the home staff at their ground.
“We could easily have scored five or 6. We adjusted the unfavorable dynamic of shedding the previous few Clasicos. It truly is a day to enjoy, not only as a Barca manager, but also a fan.”
Barca were being ninth in LaLiga when Xavi took in excess of in November but have due to the fact risen to 3rd. They are now just three factors guiding Sevilla in second, who they facial area immediately after the March worldwide break, but hauling in Madrid has established harder.
“I you should not know if we can earn the title, we are not able to rule out everything,” Xavi additional when questioned if his facet can now aspire to acquire the league this time. “It’s possible we’re a little bit late, but this is a pretty big earn for us.
“We have gained tonight — and we also have the much better head-to-head record [against Madrid, which decides the title if both teams finish level on points] — but it is heading to be extremely tricky.
“Madrid have only missing a few league games. They have to drop 3 extra. We ought to retain doing work really hard. The to start with aim is to qualify for the Champions League.”
Midfielder Sergio Busquets added: “If we have just a tiny likelihood to make a run for the title, we will fight right up until the finish. It’s incredibly challenging, but in soccer something can happen. We are Barca.”
Barca’s return to kind below Xavi has been impressive. They have dropped just two of their past 20 video games in all competitions, and equally of all those defeats arrived right after further-time, while the group has recovered the actively playing fashion associated with Barca groups of the past.
In the 2nd half, regardless of top by four aims, Xavi consistently appeared exasperated on the touchline on the rare instances when his players gave absent the ball.
“You have to operate, you have to help the complete-backs, you have to press,” Xavi reported. “It was 4- but in another sport it could be 1- and dropping the ball could value us. A match of soccer lasts 90 minutes.
“I get genuinely angry when we eliminate the ball. You can get rid of ball in the remaining third, but not in your possess fifty percent. That is why [I was angry]. If you fall the calls for, you never get results.”
Aubameyang opened the scoring in the 29th minute following fantastic get the job done from Ousmane Dembele and Araujo headed in the next from a corner two minutes afterwards.
Torres included the third in the 47th moment in advance of turning creator to established up Aubameyang’s second intention, his ninth in 11 game titles considering the fact that joining on a free of charge transfer from Arsenal in January, just four minutes later.
“It was a particular night time,” Aubameyang instructed reporters. “This just isn’t an easy spot to appear and we have won. I am really satisfied with my objectives. I was desperate to do very well [at Barca], as I am performing, and it truly is less difficult when you have a workforce like this.”
Barca finished the activity with 10 pictures on target, with Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois creating some wonderful will save to hold the rating down, when Aubameyang skipped the likelihood to total his hat-trick by sliding the ball wide at the far article.
Xavi’s facet now have a two-7 days break until their next game, when they host Sevilla at Camp Nou in LaLiga on April 3.