Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has expressed admiration for Barcelona boss Xavi amid speculation that the Blaugrana coach could be at risk of losing his job.
Despite Barcelona’s recent struggles, finding themselves seven points behind league leaders Girona, Ancelotti has urged the Catalan team to support Xavi through the challenging period.
In a pre-match press conference, Ancelotti stuck up for the under-fire manager, telling reporters: “In general, it’s normal for a coach to have criticism.
We have to accept it and then everyone can choose the criticisms that they consider fair and unfair.
“The judgement of the coaches is only based on the results. No one cares about the coach’s methodology or ability to manage the locker room. It’s only if he wins or doesn’t win and Xavi knows this very well. For me, he is a great coach.”
Despite the increasing pressure on Xavi, Barcelona has experienced relative success in Europe this year. The Blaugrana advanced to the Champions League knockout stages for the first time in three years and secured the top spot in their group.
Ancelotti will be on the sidelines as Real Madrid face Villarreal tomorrow evening. A victory would temporarily place them at the top of La Liga, with Girona scheduled to play on Monday night.