Xavi on the friendly match with Arsenal: It looked like a Champions League match

• Soccer

The friendly match between Arsenal and Barcelona brought an interesting result. The Gunners defeated Barcelona 5:3. The coach of Barcelona, Xavi, had interesting comments after the end of the match. "I said to Arteta that it was like a Champions League game.

It was a little unusual, the intensity they put into the game. We took it seriously but they played at a different tempo and deserved the win. We were a little soft in defence." The Spanish expert believes that the match was competitive with many 'sparks'

It looked like they were playing an important match for points. Both managers took their task seriously and wanted to test how much their teams could really do this season. "It got really competitive for a friendly match," he said.

"It got that way after the first tackle, the first goal. Playing in front of 70,000 people helps create an atmosphere. They are elite players and they all want to win."

Team ambitions

Although the players have instructions before the start of the match not to play aggressively, one start changes a lot.

Everyone wants to prove themselves to the manager and show that they can count on him in the season. Both teams have huge ambitions for the next season. "But at the end, I think it got a bit too much for a friendly, but I think the show that we put in for all the people that came to watch was really good.

At the end of the day, football belongs to the players.
We're playing in front of 70,000 people, and when it comes down to it, as soon as the game starts, they'll rebel against the coaches and do what they want as soon as there's the first foul, as soon as there's the first goal, they'll start getting intense and they'll start playing." In the summer transfer window, Barcelona have huge ambitions, while Arsenal has already signed important players to strengthen its squad.

Some of the reinforcements that arrived were Kai Havertz, Jurian Timber, and Declan Rice. Source: Eurosport