"History is there to be broken" - Barcelona manager Xavi in confident mood ahead of 'do-or-die' Bayern Munich clash
Barcelona boss Xavi Hernandez exuded confidence ahead of his side's UEFA Champions League clash with Bayern Munich. The Blaugrana will travel to Bavaria tonight (December 8) in a do-or-die fixture on Matchday 6.
Xavi's side need a victory in this game to be assured of progressing to the Champions League knockout stages. If Barcelona lose to Bayern Munich, they will have to hope Dynamo Kyiv beat Benfica in the other Group E fixture.
❗Official: Barcelona's squad list vs Bayern Munich. https://t.co/940Jg9L5J5
Bayern are favorites in this Champions League clash as they have won all five of their matches in the group stage so far. Julian Nagelsmann's side are also in much better form than their Spanish counterparts, having won their latest fixture 3-2 against Borussia Dortmund. Barcelona, meanwhile, lost 1-0 to Real Betis at home.
However, Xavi believes his side need to focus on the game at hand and nothing else when they step on to the pitch. The Spaniard had this to say at his pre-match press conference (as quoted by Marca):
"[The message to my players is] that they forget everything, forget the pressure. That I'm there to help them."
Xavi added that he was looking forward to the match:
"To dominate the game using the ball, knowing that we face a very tough opponent. We know it's a difficult task. History says we have never won in Munich, but history is there to be broken. I'm looking forward to it."
"It's in our own hands" - Barcelona boss Xavi ahead of crunch Bayern Munich clash
When questioned about the match between Kyiv and Benfica, Xavi reiterated that it was more important for Barcelona to rely on themselves rather than others. He said:
"It's in our own hands and we'll give it everything we've got. After the game, we'll see. I don't see it as a miracle. It's one game and we can beat any opponent."
Xavi also acknowledged Bayern Munich's superiority in comparison with Barcelona, who are in a rebuilding phase, and said patience will be paramount.
"We have to be patient. This [process] isn't overnight. [On Wednesday] we have a test against an opponent who have been better than us in our last meetings."
💥 @Memphis: "It's our last chance. It is like a final".
👇Barcelona's last two games against Bayern Munich:
▶️Barcelona 0-3 Bayern
▶️Barcelona 2-8 Bayern
#UCL https://t.co/C2vP9hXTTi
Barcelona and Bayern Munich have clashed horns 10 times in the Champions League era. The Bavarians have won seven of those matches while the Blaugrana have picked up just two wins, both at the Nou Camp.
Bayern most notably thrashed Barcelona 8-2 during the 2019-20 Champions League season. They also won 3-0 on Matchday 1 of this year's competition on the Catalans' home turf thanks to a brace from Robert Lewandowski.