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Cape Town - Xavi Hernandez knows a team of Barcelona's quality will
always come under criticism, but has urged his team-mates to forget
about what people are saying and focus on their football, reports Football411.
The Catalan giants saw their La Liga title charge take a blow on Saturday after being held to a goalless draw against strugglers Getafe, a result which left Barca still second in the standings, but now four points behind Real Madrid.
And, with Barca having finished third in the Spanish top flight last term, while also ending that campaign without any silverware for the first time in six years, questions have been raised over the team's ability to still challenge for top honours.
Barca captain Xavi, though, insists he pays no mind to the criticisms, and has encouraged his team-mates to do the same.
"You can't live in the past.Football is all about the present," the Spaniard told El Pais Semanal.
"I read the sporting newspapers every morning, I know I'm going to find critics and I like facing them. I struggle, they implicate me. I'm not one who lets those things get to me.
"I think about how we can improve and how we can win over the people. This is Barca, they're going to criticise you here. We talk about this in the dressing room; you can't live and die by the praise nor the criticism."
The Catalan giants saw their La Liga title charge take a blow on Saturday after being held to a goalless draw against strugglers Getafe, a result which left Barca still second in the standings, but now four points behind Real Madrid.
And, with Barca having finished third in the Spanish top flight last term, while also ending that campaign without any silverware for the first time in six years, questions have been raised over the team's ability to still challenge for top honours.
Barca captain Xavi, though, insists he pays no mind to the criticisms, and has encouraged his team-mates to do the same.
"You can't live in the past.Football is all about the present," the Spaniard told El Pais Semanal.
"I read the sporting newspapers every morning, I know I'm going to find critics and I like facing them. I struggle, they implicate me. I'm not one who lets those things get to me.
"I think about how we can improve and how we can win over the people. This is Barca, they're going to criticise you here. We talk about this in the dressing room; you can't live and die by the praise nor the criticism."
