RIYADH: Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez (pix) said winning the Spanish Super Cup this week would reinforce his project and bring calm to the club.
The only trophy Barcelona have won in the past two seasons was the Spanish Cup in 2021.
Barcelona gambled in the summer by making big investments in the likes of Robert Lewandowski, Jules Kounde and Raphinha, searching for instant success.
The Catalans were deep in debt but earned financial leverage to buy new players with various deals, drawing criticism from the football world.
Barcelona face Real Betis on Thursday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in the semi-final, before a potential final against Real Madrid or Valencia on Sunday.
“I have my hope and desire intact from the first day, I’m here to win titles and if there are no titles this season, you’ll kill me, that’s how it is,“ Xavi told reporters Wednesday.
“We have a title in sight, four days away, we have to win tomorrow and go for it, it’s been a little while without titles and it’s time (to win them) now.”
Barcelona sold 25 percent of their league television rights to US investment firm Sixth Street in the summer for the next 25 years to make an estimated 665 million euros ($716 million).
Along with other deals, including selling almost 50 percent of their production company Barca Studios, the club were able to earn spending power.
However the Catalans were eliminated from the Champions League in the group phase and dropped down into the Europa League.
The Spanish Super Cup is their first chance this season to prove the investment was wise and the project is moving in the right direction.
“We are very motivated to win the trophy, it won’t change a lot but it would bring us a lot of calm,“ added Xavi.
Lewandowski, who was suspended in La Liga for the 1-0 win over Atletico Madrid which sent the Catalans three points clear, is eligible to feature in the Super Cup. -AFP