'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Barcelona manager Xavi feels the Blaugrana are still in the La Liga title race but admits that league leaders Real Madrid have a tangible advantage.
Despite struggling for consistency at times, Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid have opened up an eight-point lead at the top of the La Liga table. Having played 27 games, Los Blancos have acquired 63 points, with second-placed Sevilla on 55. Xavi’s Barcelona are currently third in the standings with 48 points, but they have a game in hand over the top two.
Overturning a 15-point deficit (12 if Barca win their game in hand) in the final stretch of the season might seem impossible to some. Xavi, however, remains confident of his team’s abilities and believes the task to be “very difficult but not impossible.”
When asked to comment on Barcelona’s chances of winning La Liga in the 2021-22 season, Xavi was quoted as saying by the Times of India:
“Mathematics say that we can win the league, so why not? The others are failing but not Real Madrid. They have time on their side. It is very difficult but not impossible.”
The Catalan giants have been in excellent form in La Liga lately, winning five of their last six matches. Barca will next be in action on Sunday night against 11th-placed Osasuna at the Camp Nou.
Barcelona held to a goalless draw by Galatasaray
La Liga outfit Barcelona hosted a struggling Galatasaray side in the first leg of their Europa League Round of 16 clash on Thursday night. Courtesy of their massive 1-4 win at Napoli in the previous round's second-leg, fans expected Barca to secure a first-leg lead against the Turkish club.
Unfortunately, Xavi’s men were well below their usual standards and failed to find the back of the net in their own backyard.
Summer signing Memphis Depay came close with two curling efforts, while midfielder Frenkie de Jong struck the post once from close range.
Apart from a handful of chances, Barca struggled to carve open Galatasaray’s defense, courtesy of their lackluster delivery in the final third of the pitch. The all-important return leg is set to take place at Nef Stadium next Thursday.
