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Barcelona manager Xavi: I'm annoyed, angry at 'lack of desire'
FC Barcelona head coach Xavi Hernandez during the UEFA Europa League match, Quarter Final, Second Leg, between FC Barcelona and Eintracht Frankfurt played at Camp Nou Stadium on April 14, 2022 in Barcelona, Spain. pressinphoto

Barcelona manager Xavi: I'm annoyed, angry at 'lack of desire'

Barcelona's chances at catching Real Madrid at the top of La Liga table were already overwhelmingly small, but the Spanish club finds itself in a precarious spot with two other teams tied for second. On Monday, Barcelona did itself no favors by losing, 1-0, to Cádiz.

Cádiz, which climbed from 18th place to 16th with the win, scored the only goal of the match when Lucas Pérez found himself in the right place at the right time in the 48th minute.

After the game, Barcelona manager Xavi blasted the team's lack of spirit in the loss. 

"We are angry, the players first, because we missed a golden chance to separate ourselves from those in the fight for the Champions League places and also to [keep] fighting for La Liga, which we've practically said goodbye to now," Xavi said, via ESPN.

"I am annoyed and we have to be self-critical, myself first, as the coach. We're playing to be in the Champions League, that's why I am so angry. There was a lack of desire and determination. It's been a really bad week and we have to turn things around as soon as possible."

Xavi, 42, played most of his professional career with Barcelona and took over as the team's manager in November 2021. Prior to Monday, Barcelona was on a seven-match winning streak in La Liga play and hadn't lost a match since Dec. 4.

Real Madrid has 75 points, well ahead of Barcelona, Sevilla and Atletico Madrid, who have 60 points each. Real Betis is behind with 57 points and Real Sociedad is sixth with 55 points. The top four teams at the end of the season will qualify for the Champions League.

Adam Stites

Adam Stites is a Southern California native who lives in a new state every three months. He’s perennially disappointed by both the Jacksonville Jaguars and Arizona State Sun Devils. His dog is named Ramsey after the best cornerback in the NFL

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