Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez said he believes his side's next two games will define their season.
Barca, who are eight points behind league leaders Girona and seven points clear of second-placed Real Madrid, will play Real Betis away first before traveling to Bilbao for a tough Copa del Rey quarter-final against Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday.
"The next games will define our season, but even if we have good results we can't celebrate too much," said Xavi.
"Bilbao is an opponent we didn't want to have, but of course we will do everything to advance to the semi-finals, but first of all, there is the game against Betis. Everything at Barca is determined by the coming days. It's always the same."
Xavi is confident despite being heavily criticized in the media following Barca's humiliating 4-1 defeat by Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup final on Sunday and their unconvincing 3-1 win against third-tier Salamanca in the last 16 of the Copa del Rey.
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We are optimistic," he said. "There is still half a season.
We won two titles last season with this team.
We have to go for all the titles we have left.
We need to improve and win convincingly.
There are three very important titles and we want to fight until the end.
We have a significant point difference with Girona and Real Madrid, but we think it can be overcome and it's up to us.
I always think positively and that we can still win the championship."
❗️The most decisive 75 hours for Barcelona and Xavi, the visit of Benito Villamarin on Sunday and then San Mames on Wednesday will determine the future of the team and the coach this season, for better or worse, there is absolutely no room for error.
@sport pic.twitter.com/39Ar2M4YMY
— Culers Grassroot (@culersgrassroot) January 20, 2024
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Xavi said his message to his players has remained the same since he took over.
"It hasn't changed since day one," he said.
"I say try, play good football. We want to win. The message is to be calm and give everything."
Barca will play next month in a pair of meetings against Napoli in the round of 16 of the Champions League, and according to the Spanish media, if Barca is already kicked out of the Spanish Cup this week and against the Italians in the Champions League, there is a high chance that Xavi will not continue to stand on Barca's lines next season, when the relationship His with Barca's professional manager, Deco, according to the media is not very warm, to say the least.
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