"We can't afford to have any more lapses" - Xavi claims Barcelona are still 'raging' after 2-1 loss to Real Madrid in El Clasico
Barcelona boss Xavi Hernandez has stated that his side is still fuming following the loss against Real Madrid in El Clasico last week.
Barcelona suffered a 2-1 loss against Carlo Ancelotti's Real Madrid on October 28 (Saturday) after Jude Bellingham scored two goals in the second half (68', 90+2').
Addressing the loss, Xavi has claimed that the Blaugrana have to pay attention to all the small details as they can't afford to drop more points. He told reporters (via GOAL):
"We need to reset at a difficult ground. We're angry, we're raging inside, but we have to make amends for our mistakes. It's the small details that matter, we can't afford to have any more lapses in concentration."
Ilkay Gundogan gave Barcelona an early advantage in the match by scoring in the sixth minute. However, they eventually gave away the lead as Jude Bellingham managed to find two openings in the second half.
The defending champions are currently in the fourth spot of the Spanish top tier's standings, with 24 points in 11 games. On the other hand, Carlo Ancelotti's Real Madrid are currently at the top with 28 points, the same total as Girona.
Next up, the Blaugrana will visit the Anoeta Stadium to lock horns against Real Sociedad on November 4 (Saturday). Later, they'll face Shakhtar Donetsk in the UEFA Champions League on November 7 (Tuesday).
Xavi Hernandez can give extra time to recover to Barcelona star: Report
Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong was expected to make his much-awaited comeback in Barcelona's playing XI before El Clasico. However, the former Ajax player is yet to get a green flag from the club's doctors.
According to the report by Diario SPORT, the Dutchman will miss the Blaugrana's trip to Real Sociedad because of ankle pain. It's also been reported that Xavi Hernandez is looking forward to giving a few extra weeks to De Jong for recovery.
De Jong has been sidelined since September, when he suffered an ankle injury during Barcelona's La Liga fixture against Celta Vigo. As a result, he is expected to miss the Camp Nou outfit's next UCL fixture against Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday (November 7).